What Are the Symptoms of Chronic Inflammatory Disease?

Chronic inflammatory disease, which is an umbrella term for a host of different illnesses like psoriasis or inflammatory bowel disease, has a variety of symptoms. Although the symptoms vary by the type of disease, some common symptoms experienced by those suffering from this condition include fatigue, loss of social interest, pain, and swelling. Most of these symptoms, if left untreated, can lead to depression and muscle atrophy due to the lack of physical activity, which might exacerbate pain in the body. Some research has suggested that diet and lifestyle changes may help with the pain associated with this disease.

A patient is diagnosed with chronic inflammatory disease when inflammation occurs at various sites within the body over a long period of time. This inflammation can be within the arteries or other organs, and can lead to rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Both of these illnesses are signs of inflammatory reactions happening within the body, and if left untreated the body will quickly begin to deteriorate and experience loss of function. When this occurs, pain is often the first symptom experienced, and can be dulled by anti-inflammatory medications in most cases.

Another symptom experienced by those suffering from this condition include burning sensations and reddening of the skin, which may or may not be psoriasis. While treating these individual symptoms, patients are strongly encouraged to find the source of the inflammation so that it can be treated. With this treatment approach, the symptoms like burning and and pain will often quickly resolve, as will reddening of the skin.

Many people with chronic inflammatory disease will often experienced fatigue and withdrawal from social situations. They may feel unmotivated, and struggle to function normally. Scientists are still determining the exact reason why this happens in these individuals.

Eating a diet high in sugars tends to exacerbate inflammation, as do excess carbohydrates, so lowering the amounts of these elements within the diet is crucial for reducing inflammation. Herbs like turmeric and cinnamon have been shown to be natural anti-inflammatories, so including these in the diet may help relieve symptoms of chronic inflammatory disease in some individuals. Pain is usually the first symptom that subsides after treatment, although this depends on the individual. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, are also recommended by many doctors and dietitians, as these fats have been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory properties.