Is There a Link Between Inflammation and Pain?

Modern society faces an epidemic of chronic pain that did not exist as recently as forty years ago, with chronic pain symptoms affecting an estimated 85 million American adults. The majority of those who seek treatment from physicians will face a difficult and many times inconclusive roads to diagnosis. However, some doctors feel that pain is caused, at least to some degree, by chronic inflammation.


Chronic inflammation is an immune response our bodies produce when exposed repeatedly to an unhealthy stimulus, such as smoking, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol, and inadequate nutrition. Our bodies are attempting to protect us from potential harm by sending our immune system into overdrive. Acute inflammation is what helps our wounds to heal and our white blood cells to fight off infections. Chronic inflammation leads to the destruction of tissue and cells and damage to connective tissues.

Chronic inflammation may not be caused solely by poor health choices, however. Some studies suggest that unusually high levels of stress experienced early in life can also cause inflammation during middle age, causing chronic pain.

Furthermore, Canadian researchers have found evidence that the brain can continue to mimic pain after injury is healed. When patients participating in this study presented inflamed injuries, they were more likely to report sensations of chronic pain than their non-inflamed peers. Scientists theorize that the inflammation goes beyond the injury site and actually includes the brain as well.

Chronic inflammation causes pain when the swelling of the body's tissues press against nerve endings. This pressure causes the nerves to send signals of distress to the pain receptors in the brain. 
Chronic inflammation can also impact major organs. Inflammation has been shown to be disproportionately present in patients with heart disease, kidney disease, and lung conditions.

When chronic inflammation is suspected to be the cause of chronic pain, the inflammation itself must be treated, in addition to the painful symptoms. Chronic inflammatory conditions are properly diagnosed by doctors after both physical examinations and medical testing.

Some physicians are beginning to prescribe Celebrex, an anti-inflammatory drug typically used to treat arthritis, for patients exhibiting chronic pain with no specified origin. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories are also indicated in many cases, to be taken on a regular schedule in order to decrease inflammation over time, rather than simply addressing a specific painful sensation.

In some cases, doctors may prescribe a steroidal anti-inflammatory such as prednisone to decrease swelling of tissues, although these drugs are not prescribed for long-term use. In cases where infection may not be entirely healed, antibiotics may also be used.

Some patients experience chronic inflammation in response to food triggers, such as gluten, soy, corn or wheat. An elimination diet paired with journaling of symptoms can help patients see where food choices may play a role in their pain. Incorporating fish, nuts, and olive oil into the diet can help decrease chronic inflammation over time as well. A healthier diet will invariably help those that are overweight to lose weight, which not only decreases inflammation, but helps take stress off of joints and organs that are already under duress.