Young woman with hands on neck indicating pain

Suffering From Chronic Inflammation? Chiropractic Care Can Help

Do you feel rundown every day, even when you’ve gotten plenty of sleep? Do you have stiff joints and aches that you can’t explain? Are you struggling with brain fog that never seems to lift?

These symptoms could be dismissed as just a normal part of aging. But symptoms like brain fog and persistent aches are also some of the most common signs of chronic, or “silent” inflammation in the body.

Man stretching

What is Inflammation?

Inflammation is one of the ways our body heals itself. When a trauma occurs – think of a stubbed toe or cut finger – inflammatory cells rush to the injury site and start to heal the body. This reaction causes skin to become red and hot and the area may appear swollen or bruised. This is a healthy immune response indicating that the body is actively working to heal itself.

The trouble arises when you experience chronic inflammation. This type of inflammation occurs when the body sends out inflammatory cells, even when there is no trauma or injury.

Chronic inflammation or “silent inflammation” is so called because it is not as easy to recognize as acute inflammation, which is usually accompanied by a visible ailment.

Chronic inflammation can cause a myriad of reactions in the body which leave people feeling less than their best.

Recognizing Chronic Inflammation

So how do we recognize chronic inflammation in our patients?

When the chiropractors of Turning Point Wellness Center located in Waterloo, Ill., and Red Bud, Ill., see a patient that has pain that isn’t going away with routine chiropractic adjustment, we assume that the site of the pain is likely inflamed and begin treatment.

When their complaints go beyond one specific area, and include three or more items from the list above without any other medical diagnosis, we begin to suspect chronic inflammation.

Common symptoms of chronic inflammation can include:

  • stiff or achy joints
  • localized pain
  • fatigue
  • brain fog
  • redness, itchiness, flaky skin

Chronic inflammation can also cause:

  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain
  • abdominal pain
  • irritable bowel
  • weight gain
chronic-inflammation

Treating Chronic Inflammation

At Turning Point Wellness Center, we are committed to finding the treatment that works best for you and your body. We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to our treatment plans. This means we may try a few different approaches until we find the solution that leads to your optimal wellness. 

Below are some of the services we provide at our offices in Red Bud and Waterloo that have helped many of our patients reduce pain and inflammation.

Chiropractic adjustments

The chiropractors of Turning Point Wellness Center, Dr. Jennifer Kujawski, Dr. Colleen Miller and Dr. Katie Neff, diagnose and manipulate misalignments of joints–especially those of the spinal column which are believed to cause other disorders by affecting the nerves, muscles, and organs.

Studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments help reduce the production of two inflammatory cytokines, which can reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Massage

Massage therapy is available through Turning Point Wellness Center as a way to reduce swelling and ease pain.  Massage can help improve blood circulation and can reduce pain by improving lymphatic drainage, which aids the body's ability to remove excess fluids from joints, muscles, and other tissues.

Stretching

Stretching exercises, particularly those aided and guided by your chiropractic physicians, are a great way to increase blood flow and reduce inflammation. Stretching helps keep the body moving and functioning at its best. While some movements - heavy weight training and CrossFit, for example, put too much strain on the body, other exercises like yoga, swimming, and resistance training, can help reduce inflammation.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a safe and gentle technique that has been proven throughout history as an effective way to reduce pain and release endorphins.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy uses focused light to trigger an increase in cellular metabolism, which can decrease pain and inflammation and accelerate the healing process. Low-level cold laser therapy can reduce swelling and treat muscle pain and inflammation quickly without the use of medication.

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Next Steps

Not only is chronic inflammation uncomfortable, it is known to be involved in the development of many health issues such as Alzheimer’s, asthma, certain cancers, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Type 2 Diabetes.

Because inflammation is a risk factor for more serious ailments, it’s important to not only treat the inflamed areas but to keep inflammation at bay. In addition to the treatments listed above, diet also plays a big role in keeping swelling down.

Stay tuned for our next blog where we will discuss how diet plays a role in inflammation. We’ll have information about supplements, and tips on food choices to help your body fight inflammation.

*Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended as medical advice. The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website, are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking a new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.