A protective biological response of the body’s tissues to harmful stimuli, involving coordinated changes in blood vessels, immune cells, and signaling molecules.
Inflammation is part of the body’s defense and repair processes. It can be triggered by infections, injuries, toxins, autoimmune reactions, and other forms of tissue stress or damage. The response helps contain threats, remove damaged material, and begin tissue repair.
Inflammation can be acute, developing rapidly and usually lasting a relatively short time, or chronic, persisting for a prolonged period. Although inflammation is often protective, excessive, prolonged, or misdirected inflammation can contribute to tissue damage and disease.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Infection: caused by an infectious agent; inflammation can occur because of infection but can also occur without one.
- Tissue damage: injury or destruction of cells or tissues; tissue damage can trigger inflammation, while inflammation itself can sometimes contribute to further damage.
SEE ALSO
