Chronic inflammatory conditions

Inflammation is a complex system within our bodies that that occurs in two main ways. It can acutely occur secondary to an injury or infection, for example if you roll your ankle or tear your calf whilst running. You’ll notice signs and symptoms such as heat, redness, swelling and possibly pain in the area of the injury. But once all the cells involved in the inflammatory response have completed their job and the injury has healed, the inflammation will disappear.

On the other hand, chronic inflammation (characterised by the presence of inflammation >3 months) is one that can be debilitating and problematic for the individual. It may occur if the immune system is becoming confused about what cells are and aren’t a threat to the body’s natural processes.  Common inflammatory conditions include rheumatoid arthritis or anklylosing spondylitis.

At Wilson Physiotherapy clinic one of our main goals is helping people to prevent and effectively treat chronic inflammatory conditions by identifying the symptoms of inflammation from the very first appointment.

Below are 4 signs or symptoms that an individual may be suffering from a chronic inflammatory condition:

Skin Rashes

Skin rashes such as psoariasis, are inflammatory skin conditions that are characterised by flaky and rough skin patches anywhere on the body. Individuals suffering from Psoariasis are more likely to have a hyper-sensitive immune system which may trigger the skin rashes to become present.

Night pain

Body aches and pains are common in individuals with increased systemic inflammation. When inflammatory cytokines are increased, they can attack soft tissues resulting in redness, swelling and pain especially during periods of inactivity.

Morning Stiffness

When inflammatory cytokines are elevated in the body, inflammation can increase in a number of joints. This is particularly noticeable after a period of rest such as sleep, resulting in stiffness of a joint due to a lack of movement.  Movement is one way the body helps to reduce and regulate inflammation at a particular site in chronic conditions.  

Low Energy

Constantly feeling fatigued is yet another clue your body may be fighting chronic inflammation. When you’re chronically inflamed your immune system remains active and continues to work at a constantly high rate. For the immune system to continue to fight chronic inflammation effectively, cellular energy remains high depleting you of fuel that your body requires to ensure you feel fully energised.

When a chronic inflammatory condition is suspected after a full history and examination has been completed, further blood tests can help to include or rule out these conditions. Testing includes and is not limited to:

·         White blood cell or complete blood cell count

·         HLAB27 genetic testing

·         C-reactive protein (CRP)

·         Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

·         Rheumatoid factor (RF)

·         Neutrophils

·         Plasma Viscosity

·         Globulin

·         Antinuclear Antibody test (ANA)

·         Extractable Nuclear Antigen (ENA)

·         Cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (CCP)

If you’re in pain and believe that your symptoms may be associated with a chronic inflammatory condition, call 9817 6600 and book in one of our physiotherapists for a thorough assessment so we can get you back on track and achieve all your fitness and health goals.