Acute inflammation in Apex occurs after injury or infection to an area, and usually is seen as swelling, bruising, immobility, redness or heat. Inflammation is our body’s way of preserving and protecting an area of injury or infection to help start the healing process. Normally, we treat the symptoms associated with inflammation, but never correct the initial injury or infection causing the inflammation in the first place. This inflammation gives the wounded area a “safe environment” to heal in. Without inflammation, things like cuts, broken bones, tissue damage and infections would never be able to heal. 

Apex Chiropractor Explains What Causes Inflammation

The immune system has a natural response to create inflammation in order to speed up the healing process. When an injury occurs, we notice almost immediate swelling and sometimes bruising. This is because the small arteries and blood vessels enlarge to supply blood to the damaged area quicker, increasing the blood flow and usually causing swelling. Capillaries then carry oxygen and proteins to the affected area, and remove any harmful “waste” infecting our body. The body will then release neutrophils - a white blood cell that helps heal damaged tissues and resolve infections. All of this takes place almost immediately once an area has been damaged, and the more that we ignore this type of inflammation, the higher a chance that our acute inflammation will turn into chronic inflammation. 

Chiropractic care at Omega Chiropractic Center - Sports Performance & Nutrition in Apex helps to align the joint to allow itself to kickstart the healing process. Once you are in alignment, your immune system is able to function properly which helps to fight off harmful bacteria and produce healthy inflammation for healing. The longer we avoid taking care of inflammation within our body, the longer that our immune system is compromised. Once this occurs, our immune system is not able to fight off infection and harmful bacteria in our body, which can eventually lead to illness or long-term damage of an injury. Understanding how the nervous and immune system affects everything else in our body, helps to recognize the benefits of chiropractic and see the results quicker.