Inflammation: Introduction, Clinical Signs, and Types

• Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, infection, or harmful stimuli.
• It is a complex biological process involving the immune system’s cells, blood vessels, and molecular mediators.
• The primary purposes of inflammation are to:
  • Eliminate the initial cause of cell injury
  • Clear out damaged cells and tissues
  • Establish a repair process
• It is essential for healing, chronic or excessive inflammation can contribute to various diseases, including autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
• Understanding the types and signs of helps in diagnosing and treating various inflammatory conditions effectively.
• Proper management is crucial to prevent inflammation from contributing to chronic diseases.

Clinical Signs of Inflammation

• The classic signs of, also known as the five cardinal signs, are:
  1. Redness (Rubor): Increased blood flow to the affected area.
  2. Heat (Calor): Elevated temperature in the inflamed area due to increased blood flow.
  3. Swelling (Tumor): Accumulation of fluid in the tissues.
  4. Pain (Dolor): Release of chemicals that stimulate nerve endings.
  5. Loss of Function (Functio Laesa): Reduced function of the affected area due to pain and swelling.

Different Types of Inflammation

1. Acute Inflammation

   • Duration: Short-term, lasting from a few hours to a few days.
   • Causes: Infection, injury, or foreign bodies (e.g., splinters).
   • Characteristics: Rapid onset, marked by the five cardinal signs. Involves the activation of immune cells like neutrophils.
   • Examples: Cuts, burns, infections (e.g., bacterial, or viral).

2. Chronic Inflammation

   • Duration: Long-term, lasting from weeks to years.
   • Causes: Persistent infection, prolonged exposure to irritants (e.g., tobacco smoke), autoimmune diseases.
   • Characteristics: Slow onset, less obvious symptoms. Involves different immune cells, such as macrophages and lymphocytes.
   • Examples: Rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic infections (e.g., tuberculosis).

3. Granulomatous Inflammation

   • Duration: Can be acute or chronic.
   • Causes: Persistent pathogens (e.g., mycobacteria), foreign substances that the immune system cannot eradicate.
   • Characteristics: Formation of granulomas, which are small nodules of immune cells that form around the foreign material.
   • Examples: Tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, leprosy.

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