Inflammation: The Good and the Bad

Acute inflammation is the body’s normal immune response to injury to or infection of body tissues. The inflammation process helps the body contain and eliminate damaged tissue and infectious “pathogens” (bacterial, viral, or fungal) so healing can begin.

Although acute inflammation is a natural and necessary process, accompanying symptoms can interfere with daily activities and quality of life. These include:

• Redness and/or heat (blood vessels in the damaged tissue expand to allow more blood to reach the area, which can make the area of injury feel warm and/or appear red)
• Edema (swelling due to fluid buildup)
• Pain (edema is a primary reason for pain because swollen tissues press on nerves)
• Loss of function of affected area

Inflammation symptoms like edema and pain sometimes can be alleviated with an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like Advil or Tylenol and other at-home remedies. But if these methods are ineffective and symptoms persist or worsen, medical attention and a prescription medication may be warranted.

Common Inflammatory Conditions: Sciatica, Bursitis & Tendonitis

• Sciatica—shooting pain down the back of one or both legs—is caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve that runs along each side of the lower back to the buttocks and down each leg. Sciatica can result from any pressure on or pinching of this nerve. Pain relief for sciatica focuses on reducing edema that can cause this pressure or pinching.

Many inflammatory conditions have a name ending in “-itis.” Bursitis and tendonitis, for example, involve inflammation of the soft tissues around muscles and bones—most often in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, or ankle.

• Bursitis occurs when a bursa—a small, fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between bone and other moving body parts such as muscles or tendons—becomes inflamed due to injury, infection, or underlying disease.
• Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon—a flexible band of tissue that connects muscles to bones and help create movement. Some common forms of tendonitis are named after sports that increase their risk. Tennis elbow, for example, is an injury to the tendon in the outer elbow.

Treating bursitis, tendonitis, tennis elbow and other inflammatory conditions involves reducing edema to relieve pain.

Muscle Spasms: When to Seek Care

Muscle spasms, or cramps, are involuntary muscle contractions. They occur suddenly and are often painful, but usually resolve relatively quickly on their own. Muscle spasms often can be treated at home with massage, stretching and icing/heating. However, if muscle spasms involve any of the following, professional medical attention may be required:

• Cause severe discomfort
• Are associated with swelling, redness or skin changes
• Are associated with muscle weakness

Although most muscle spasms are harmless, some may be related to an underlying medical condition such as nerve compression, inadequate blood supply, or mineral depletion. Treating the condition can resolve the muscle spasms.

Whiplash can occur without having a car accident

Whiplash is a neck injury resulting from forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck—like the cracking of a lion tamer’s whip. The whiplash motion can injure bones in the spine; disks between the bones; and ligaments, muscles, nerves and other tissues of the neck, as well as trigger inflammation. The most common cause of whiplash is a rear-end auto accident but the injury can also result from a sports accident, physical abuse or other trauma.

Whiplash symptoms usually develop within 24 hours of the injury and can include neck pain and stiffness, tenderness/pain in the upper back, shoulder or arms, loss of range of motion in the neck, and headaches (typically starting at the base of the skull). If you experience neck pain, upper back pain, or other whiplash symptoms following a traumatic injury, it is important to get a prompt and accurate diagnosis to rule out fractures or other damage that may be contributing to symptoms.

Immediate care for inflammation — bursitis, tennis elbow & other painful conditions that can’t wait

When you need medical care now, walk into any HealthMed Urgent Care clinic without an appointment and receive prompt, expert attention from skilled clinicians for non-life- or limb-threatening conditions including:

We also:

• Treat non-life-threatening illness
• Treat fractures, sprains, minor broken bones (fingers and toes)
• Perform sutures and stitches
• Treat occupational injuries (Worker’s Compensation)
• Offer preventive services such as vaccines and immunizations (flu shots and health screenings, including physical exams for playing sports)