While there are numerous chronic ailments and a variety of aches and pains you might suffer from, all of them have one thing in common—they all begin with inflammation. This does not mean that inflammation is a bad thing. It is the normal response of the body to any kind of tissue damage. Whenever tissues are injured, biochemical messengers are released that initiate an inflammatory response. This response activates the immune system to check the injured area for invading microbes. It also sequesters the damaged area to slow the spread of any toxins introduced via the injury and triggers pain to alert you of the problem.

Once infection is contained and toxins are neutralized, a new set of biochemical messengers are released. These messengers turn off the inflammatory response and begin the process of healing. When this doesn’t happen, inflammation starts to become chronic, and that’s not good.

In cases of chronic inflammation, what was intended as a mechanism to slow the spread of irritants and control infection now becomes an impairment to normal tissue function. It inhibits circulation, depriving the affected tissues of vital oxygen, nutrients, and waste removal. The chronically activated immune system can also begin damaging otherwise healthy tissues. This can lead to autoimmune reactions and degenerative diseases. Furthermore, the sharp pain associated with acute inflammation, which informs you that you’ve been injured, now becomes dull aches and constant discomfort.

It’s important to understand that chronic inflammation is the foundation for all chronic and degenerative diseases. So, in this issue of Sunshine Sharing, we’ll be discussing why inflammation becomes chronic and what can be done to halt the inflammatory process and start the healing process. This will help you see how all diseases are interrelated, having the same basic causes and the same basic cures. When you recognize this, you’ll understand that halting chronic inflammation and promoting tissue healing and repair is essential to recovering from all chronic and degenerative health problems.

The Central Role of Inflammation in Disease

Here are just a few examples of how inflammation is at the root of chronic health problems and pain. For starters, the leading cause of death in Western society is heart disease. This typically begins with the hardening of the arteries, which contributes to heart attacks and strokes. The process of forming arterial plaque doesn’t begin with high cholesterol, as many people have been led to believe. It actually begins with inflammation of the arterial lining, which is what causes the plaque to form. Thus, reducing inflammation is key to preventing heart disease.

In another example, arthritis, which afflicts millions of people with pain and impaired mobility, is a chronically inflamed condition of one or more joints. This inflammation results from damage to the joint by physical injury or autoimmune reactions. The name for this condition, arthritis, clearly indicates that inflammation is the root problem. Arthro is Latin for joint and itis is Latin for inflammation.

This means that any disease with ‘itis’ in its name is one involving inflammation. The disease name describes where the inflammation is occurring, as in hepatitis (liver inflammation), colitis (colon inflammation), pancreatitis (pancreatic inflammation), dermatitis (skin inflammation), gastritis (stomach inflammation), bronchitis (bronchial passage inflammation), neuritis (nerve inflammation), and so on.

Inflammation is involved in many health problems that seem unrelated, like many mood and memory problems. Research is revealing that mood and memory problems, from depression to dementia, involve inflammation in the brain.

Even cancer has its roots in inflammation. Researchers are now learning that cancer begins with damaged tissue that never healed. The lack of healthy circulation to a chronically inflamed area deprives the cells in that area of needed oxygen. It is well-documented that cells mutate and become cancerous in a low oxygen environment.

Traditional systems of medicine recognized the problem with chronic unresolved inflammation. For example, Matthew Wood’s Native American teacher, Tis Mal Crow knew this, “He taught us that every bruise, no matter how small, should be attentively cared for, because it may give rise to ‘bad blood,’ and this may develop into cancer, even years later.”

Matthew further states, “The Chinese have the same concept. Stagnant mucus can precipitate into ‘soft, moveable tumors,’ which are generally non-malignant, but stagnant blood, they say, can turn into ‘hard, immobile tumors’ and some of these can be cancerous.” (Matthew Wood, The Book of Herbal Wisdom, pg.79)

Treating Acute Inflammation

This brings up an important point. The best way to prevent chronic inflammation is to properly treat all acute injuries and associated infections. Remedies that can reduce inflammation and promote healing following injuries include arnica, yarrow, calendula, plantain, and comfrey. Remedies that aid acute infections associated with injuries include echinacea, goldenseal, Oregon grape, myrrh, and tea tree oil.

Following any injury, including surgery, if the injury is not healing properly, take an anti-inflammatory remedy like boswellia gum, hemp/CBD, licorice root, mangosteen pericarp, turmeric/curcumin, and willow bark. Taking an Anti-Inflammatory Herb Formula combining several of these remedies can speed healing after surgery, dental work, and injuries, at the same time reducing pain and promoting faster healing. These remedies can also be helpful for chronic pain and inflammation, but anti-inflammatory remedies, by themselves, are not sufficient to fix the problem of chronic inflammation.

The Inflammation Cure by William Joel Meggs, MD, PhD, with Carol Svee
The Anti-Inflammation Zone by Dr. Barry Sears
The Golden Seven Plus One by Dr. C. Samuel West
Strategies for Health by Steven Horne