Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon SignsDiagnosisLifestyle ChangesTreatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Signs
Diagnosis
Lifestyle Changes
Treatments
The five signs of acute (short-lived) inflammation are pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. Signs of chronic (long-term) inflammation are often less obvious. Fatigue, skin rashes, constipation, andweight gaincan all be signs of chronic inflammation in the body.
Verywell / JR Bee.
Common Signs of Inflammation
Signs of inflammation in the body vary depending on what is causing the inflammation, and whether the inflammation is acute or chronic.
Acute Inflammation
Signs of acute inflammation tend to be very obvious and develop immediately. Five clear signs of acute inflammation include:
Chronic Inflammation
Signs of chronic inflammation tend to develop gradually and be more subtle. Some people may not experience any obvious symptoms at all. When symptoms do occur, they may include:
Chronic inflammation is usually persistent or comes and goes over time. Addressing the underlying condition may help reduce inflammation, but may not get rid of it completely.
How to Check Inflammation Levels
No single test can diagnose inflammation or the conditions that cause it. To check inflammation levels in your body, you will need to see a healthcare provider.
Your provider may use the following to determine the degree of inflammation in your body:
Can I Test for Inflammation at Home?At-home CRP tests can detect inflammation and reveal whether inflammation is responding to treatment. These tests are readily available online. However, they vary in sensitivity and may be prone to errors. For more accurate results, consult a healthcare provider.
Can I Test for Inflammation at Home?
At-home CRP tests can detect inflammation and reveal whether inflammation is responding to treatment. These tests are readily available online. However, they vary in sensitivity and may be prone to errors. For more accurate results, consult a healthcare provider.
How to Flush Inflammation From the Body
There are several changes to your lifestyle that you can make to prevent and reverse chronic inflammation, such as:
While lifestyle changes like these can be very helpful in preventing and reducing inflammation, pre-existing medical conditions may need to be addressed with medications.
Common Treatments for Inflammation
For general inflammation, your healthcare provider may recommend:
In addition to treating joint pain and inflammation, medications for chronic inflammatory diseases can help to prevent the disease from getting worse or at least help slow it down. Medications may include:
Many medications used to treat inflammatory diseases can cause side effects, so it is important to see your healthcare provider regularly while you’re on them.
Summary
Inflammation can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). The cardinal signs of acute inflammation are pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. When it’s chronic, inflammation can also cause fatigue, weight changes, joint pain, gastrointestinal problems like constipation, and more. Signs of chronic inflammation tend to be more subtle and gradual compared to the more obvious signs of acute inflammation.
You may not know for sure what’s causing inflammation without seeing your provider. Once you know the underlying cause, you can take steps to lower inflammation and possibly prevent it. Eating a diet full of anti-inflammatory foods, getting ample sleep, and practicing stress relief techniques can help reduce inflammation in your body.
26 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.All about inflammation.Bennett JM, Reeves G, Billman GE, Sturmberg JP.Inflammation-nature’s way to efficiently respond to all types of challenges: Implications for understanding and managing “the epidemic” of chronic diseases.Front Med (Lausanne).2018 Nov 27;5:316. doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00316Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.Acute v. Chronic inflammation in the body: what’s the difference?.Sugimoto MA, Sousa LP, Pinho V, Perretti M, Teixeira MM.Resolution of inflammation: What controls its onset?Front Immunol.2016 Apr 26;7:160. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2016.00160Ji Y, Li M, Chang M, et al.Inflammation: roles in skeletal muscle atrophy.Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Sep;11(9):1686. doi:10.3390/antiox11091686Harvard Health Publishing.Chronic inflammation and your joints.Miller C, Emmanuel A, Zarate-Lopez, Taylor S, Bloom S.Constipation in ulcerative colitis: pathophysiology and practical management.Front Gastroenterol. 2021;12(1):493-499. doi:10.1136/flgastro-2020-101566Anbazhagan A, Priyamvada S, Alrefai W, Dudeja P.Pathophysiology of IBD associated diarrhea.Tissue Barriers. 2018 May;6(2):e1463897. doi:10.1080/21688370.2018.1463897de Oliveira E, Silva J, Ascar T, et al.Acute inflammation is a predisposing factor for weight gain and insulin resistance.Pharmaceutics. 2022 Mar;14(3):623. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics14030623Kursun O, Yemisci M, van den Maagdenberg A, Karatas H.Migraine and neuroinflammation: The inflammasome perspective.J Headache Pain. 2021;22(1):55. doi:10.1186/s10194-021-01271-1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Rashes and skin inflammation.Harrison M.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.Aust Pract. 2015 Jun;38(3):93-94. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.034Liu CH, Abrams ND, Carrick DM, et al.Imaging inflammation and its resolution in health and disease: current status, clinical needs, challenges, and opportunities.FASEB J. 2019;33(12):13085-13097. doi:10.1096/fj.201902024Phommasone K, Althaus T, Souvanthong P, et al.Accuracy of commercially available c-reactive protein rapid tests in the context of undifferentiated fevers in rural Laos.BMC Infect Dis. 2016 Feb;16(1):61. doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1360-2Harvard Health Publishing.Easy ways to keep inflammation in check.Villalba DK, Lindsay EK, Marsland AL, et al.Mindfulness training and systemic low-grade inflammation in stressed community adults: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials.PLoS One. 2019;14(7):e0219120. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0219120Rom O, Karkabi K, Reznick AZ, Keidar Z, Aizenbud D.Relationship between history of smoking, metabolic and inflammatory markers, parameters of body composition and muscle strength.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2015;849:49–56. doi:10.1007/5584_2014_92UC Davis Health.9 healthy eating tips that can reduce inflammation.Garbarino S, Lanteri P, Bragazzi N, Magnavita N, Scoditti E.Role of sleep deprivation in immune-related disease risk and outcomes.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):1304. doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02825-4Bianchi VE.Weight loss is a critical factor to reduce inflammation.Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018;28(1):21-35. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.08.007Harvard Health Publishing.Foods that fight inflammation.Arthritis Foundation.Can increasing fiber reduce inflammation?.Arthritis Foundation.Best drinks for arthritis.Fares S, Omar M, Laurence A, et al.Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory supplements for adjunctive rheumatoid arthritis therapy: A comprehensive narrative review.Aging Dis. 2024 Feb;1(1). doi:10.14336/AD.2024.0131Serhan CN.Treating inflammation and infection in the 21st century: new hints from decoding resolution mediators and mechanisms.FASEB J. 2017;31(4):1273-1288. doi:10.1096/fj.201601222RPlacha D, Jampilek J.Chronic inflammatory diseases, Anti-inflammatory agents and their delivery nanosystems.Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(1):64. Published 2021 Jan 6. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13010064
26 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.All about inflammation.Bennett JM, Reeves G, Billman GE, Sturmberg JP.Inflammation-nature’s way to efficiently respond to all types of challenges: Implications for understanding and managing “the epidemic” of chronic diseases.Front Med (Lausanne).2018 Nov 27;5:316. doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00316Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.Acute v. Chronic inflammation in the body: what’s the difference?.Sugimoto MA, Sousa LP, Pinho V, Perretti M, Teixeira MM.Resolution of inflammation: What controls its onset?Front Immunol.2016 Apr 26;7:160. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2016.00160Ji Y, Li M, Chang M, et al.Inflammation: roles in skeletal muscle atrophy.Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Sep;11(9):1686. doi:10.3390/antiox11091686Harvard Health Publishing.Chronic inflammation and your joints.Miller C, Emmanuel A, Zarate-Lopez, Taylor S, Bloom S.Constipation in ulcerative colitis: pathophysiology and practical management.Front Gastroenterol. 2021;12(1):493-499. doi:10.1136/flgastro-2020-101566Anbazhagan A, Priyamvada S, Alrefai W, Dudeja P.Pathophysiology of IBD associated diarrhea.Tissue Barriers. 2018 May;6(2):e1463897. doi:10.1080/21688370.2018.1463897de Oliveira E, Silva J, Ascar T, et al.Acute inflammation is a predisposing factor for weight gain and insulin resistance.Pharmaceutics. 2022 Mar;14(3):623. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics14030623Kursun O, Yemisci M, van den Maagdenberg A, Karatas H.Migraine and neuroinflammation: The inflammasome perspective.J Headache Pain. 2021;22(1):55. doi:10.1186/s10194-021-01271-1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Rashes and skin inflammation.Harrison M.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.Aust Pract. 2015 Jun;38(3):93-94. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.034Liu CH, Abrams ND, Carrick DM, et al.Imaging inflammation and its resolution in health and disease: current status, clinical needs, challenges, and opportunities.FASEB J. 2019;33(12):13085-13097. doi:10.1096/fj.201902024Phommasone K, Althaus T, Souvanthong P, et al.Accuracy of commercially available c-reactive protein rapid tests in the context of undifferentiated fevers in rural Laos.BMC Infect Dis. 2016 Feb;16(1):61. doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1360-2Harvard Health Publishing.Easy ways to keep inflammation in check.Villalba DK, Lindsay EK, Marsland AL, et al.Mindfulness training and systemic low-grade inflammation in stressed community adults: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials.PLoS One. 2019;14(7):e0219120. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0219120Rom O, Karkabi K, Reznick AZ, Keidar Z, Aizenbud D.Relationship between history of smoking, metabolic and inflammatory markers, parameters of body composition and muscle strength.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2015;849:49–56. doi:10.1007/5584_2014_92UC Davis Health.9 healthy eating tips that can reduce inflammation.Garbarino S, Lanteri P, Bragazzi N, Magnavita N, Scoditti E.Role of sleep deprivation in immune-related disease risk and outcomes.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):1304. doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02825-4Bianchi VE.Weight loss is a critical factor to reduce inflammation.Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018;28(1):21-35. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.08.007Harvard Health Publishing.Foods that fight inflammation.Arthritis Foundation.Can increasing fiber reduce inflammation?.Arthritis Foundation.Best drinks for arthritis.Fares S, Omar M, Laurence A, et al.Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory supplements for adjunctive rheumatoid arthritis therapy: A comprehensive narrative review.Aging Dis. 2024 Feb;1(1). doi:10.14336/AD.2024.0131Serhan CN.Treating inflammation and infection in the 21st century: new hints from decoding resolution mediators and mechanisms.FASEB J. 2017;31(4):1273-1288. doi:10.1096/fj.201601222RPlacha D, Jampilek J.Chronic inflammatory diseases, Anti-inflammatory agents and their delivery nanosystems.Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(1):64. Published 2021 Jan 6. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13010064
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.All about inflammation.Bennett JM, Reeves G, Billman GE, Sturmberg JP.Inflammation-nature’s way to efficiently respond to all types of challenges: Implications for understanding and managing “the epidemic” of chronic diseases.Front Med (Lausanne).2018 Nov 27;5:316. doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00316Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.Acute v. Chronic inflammation in the body: what’s the difference?.Sugimoto MA, Sousa LP, Pinho V, Perretti M, Teixeira MM.Resolution of inflammation: What controls its onset?Front Immunol.2016 Apr 26;7:160. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2016.00160Ji Y, Li M, Chang M, et al.Inflammation: roles in skeletal muscle atrophy.Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Sep;11(9):1686. doi:10.3390/antiox11091686Harvard Health Publishing.Chronic inflammation and your joints.Miller C, Emmanuel A, Zarate-Lopez, Taylor S, Bloom S.Constipation in ulcerative colitis: pathophysiology and practical management.Front Gastroenterol. 2021;12(1):493-499. doi:10.1136/flgastro-2020-101566Anbazhagan A, Priyamvada S, Alrefai W, Dudeja P.Pathophysiology of IBD associated diarrhea.Tissue Barriers. 2018 May;6(2):e1463897. doi:10.1080/21688370.2018.1463897de Oliveira E, Silva J, Ascar T, et al.Acute inflammation is a predisposing factor for weight gain and insulin resistance.Pharmaceutics. 2022 Mar;14(3):623. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics14030623Kursun O, Yemisci M, van den Maagdenberg A, Karatas H.Migraine and neuroinflammation: The inflammasome perspective.J Headache Pain. 2021;22(1):55. doi:10.1186/s10194-021-01271-1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Rashes and skin inflammation.Harrison M.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.Aust Pract. 2015 Jun;38(3):93-94. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.034Liu CH, Abrams ND, Carrick DM, et al.Imaging inflammation and its resolution in health and disease: current status, clinical needs, challenges, and opportunities.FASEB J. 2019;33(12):13085-13097. doi:10.1096/fj.201902024Phommasone K, Althaus T, Souvanthong P, et al.Accuracy of commercially available c-reactive protein rapid tests in the context of undifferentiated fevers in rural Laos.BMC Infect Dis. 2016 Feb;16(1):61. doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1360-2Harvard Health Publishing.Easy ways to keep inflammation in check.Villalba DK, Lindsay EK, Marsland AL, et al.Mindfulness training and systemic low-grade inflammation in stressed community adults: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials.PLoS One. 2019;14(7):e0219120. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0219120Rom O, Karkabi K, Reznick AZ, Keidar Z, Aizenbud D.Relationship between history of smoking, metabolic and inflammatory markers, parameters of body composition and muscle strength.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2015;849:49–56. doi:10.1007/5584_2014_92UC Davis Health.9 healthy eating tips that can reduce inflammation.Garbarino S, Lanteri P, Bragazzi N, Magnavita N, Scoditti E.Role of sleep deprivation in immune-related disease risk and outcomes.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):1304. doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02825-4Bianchi VE.Weight loss is a critical factor to reduce inflammation.Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018;28(1):21-35. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.08.007Harvard Health Publishing.Foods that fight inflammation.Arthritis Foundation.Can increasing fiber reduce inflammation?.Arthritis Foundation.Best drinks for arthritis.Fares S, Omar M, Laurence A, et al.Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory supplements for adjunctive rheumatoid arthritis therapy: A comprehensive narrative review.Aging Dis. 2024 Feb;1(1). doi:10.14336/AD.2024.0131Serhan CN.Treating inflammation and infection in the 21st century: new hints from decoding resolution mediators and mechanisms.FASEB J. 2017;31(4):1273-1288. doi:10.1096/fj.201601222RPlacha D, Jampilek J.Chronic inflammatory diseases, Anti-inflammatory agents and their delivery nanosystems.Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(1):64. Published 2021 Jan 6. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13010064
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.All about inflammation.
Bennett JM, Reeves G, Billman GE, Sturmberg JP.Inflammation-nature’s way to efficiently respond to all types of challenges: Implications for understanding and managing “the epidemic” of chronic diseases.Front Med (Lausanne).2018 Nov 27;5:316. doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00316
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.Acute v. Chronic inflammation in the body: what’s the difference?.
Sugimoto MA, Sousa LP, Pinho V, Perretti M, Teixeira MM.Resolution of inflammation: What controls its onset?Front Immunol.2016 Apr 26;7:160. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2016.00160
Ji Y, Li M, Chang M, et al.Inflammation: roles in skeletal muscle atrophy.Antioxidants (Basel). 2022 Sep;11(9):1686. doi:10.3390/antiox11091686
Harvard Health Publishing.Chronic inflammation and your joints.
Miller C, Emmanuel A, Zarate-Lopez, Taylor S, Bloom S.Constipation in ulcerative colitis: pathophysiology and practical management.Front Gastroenterol. 2021;12(1):493-499. doi:10.1136/flgastro-2020-101566
Anbazhagan A, Priyamvada S, Alrefai W, Dudeja P.Pathophysiology of IBD associated diarrhea.Tissue Barriers. 2018 May;6(2):e1463897. doi:10.1080/21688370.2018.1463897
de Oliveira E, Silva J, Ascar T, et al.Acute inflammation is a predisposing factor for weight gain and insulin resistance.Pharmaceutics. 2022 Mar;14(3):623. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics14030623
Kursun O, Yemisci M, van den Maagdenberg A, Karatas H.Migraine and neuroinflammation: The inflammasome perspective.J Headache Pain. 2021;22(1):55. doi:10.1186/s10194-021-01271-1
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Rashes and skin inflammation.
Harrison M.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.Aust Pract. 2015 Jun;38(3):93-94. doi:10.18773/austprescr.2015.034
Liu CH, Abrams ND, Carrick DM, et al.Imaging inflammation and its resolution in health and disease: current status, clinical needs, challenges, and opportunities.FASEB J. 2019;33(12):13085-13097. doi:10.1096/fj.201902024
Phommasone K, Althaus T, Souvanthong P, et al.Accuracy of commercially available c-reactive protein rapid tests in the context of undifferentiated fevers in rural Laos.BMC Infect Dis. 2016 Feb;16(1):61. doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1360-2
Harvard Health Publishing.Easy ways to keep inflammation in check.
Villalba DK, Lindsay EK, Marsland AL, et al.Mindfulness training and systemic low-grade inflammation in stressed community adults: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials.PLoS One. 2019;14(7):e0219120. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0219120
Rom O, Karkabi K, Reznick AZ, Keidar Z, Aizenbud D.Relationship between history of smoking, metabolic and inflammatory markers, parameters of body composition and muscle strength.Adv Exp Med Biol. 2015;849:49–56. doi:10.1007/5584_2014_92
UC Davis Health.9 healthy eating tips that can reduce inflammation.
Garbarino S, Lanteri P, Bragazzi N, Magnavita N, Scoditti E.Role of sleep deprivation in immune-related disease risk and outcomes.Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):1304. doi:10.1038/s42003-021-02825-4
Bianchi VE.Weight loss is a critical factor to reduce inflammation.Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2018;28(1):21-35. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.08.007
Harvard Health Publishing.Foods that fight inflammation.
Arthritis Foundation.Can increasing fiber reduce inflammation?.
Arthritis Foundation.Best drinks for arthritis.
Fares S, Omar M, Laurence A, et al.Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory supplements for adjunctive rheumatoid arthritis therapy: A comprehensive narrative review.Aging Dis. 2024 Feb;1(1). doi:10.14336/AD.2024.0131
Serhan CN.Treating inflammation and infection in the 21st century: new hints from decoding resolution mediators and mechanisms.FASEB J. 2017;31(4):1273-1288. doi:10.1096/fj.201601222R
Placha D, Jampilek J.Chronic inflammatory diseases, Anti-inflammatory agents and their delivery nanosystems.Pharmaceutics. 2021;13(1):64. Published 2021 Jan 6. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13010064
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