Nessence, inflammation is a defence mechanism. When anything foreign enters the bloodstream, the body detects an ‘intruder’ and launches a biological response to try to remove it. Think of a bee sting: the swelling, redness and pain you feel are all part of the inflammatory process. Known as acute inflammation, symptoms include pain, possible fever and swelling, and can last for anything between two days and a week.
But foreign bodies don’t always come in the form of insects or thorns. Pathogens, including viruses and bacteria, are just as problematic. The type of inflammation these can cause is referred to as ‘chronic’ inflammation because it
