Most of us believe inflammation is detrimental. But the truth is, inflammation is the body’s healthy reaction to injury and disease. The body releases critical substances that stimulate the body to repair, heal and fight off disease.

Inflammation is a natural defense mechanism that increases blood flow to the injured area. Blood flow carries in white blood cells for repair and transports dead, injured cells away. This process usually take 8-10 days once the stimulus for injury is eliminated. Sometimes the source of injury is obvious, like a sprained ankle, but some sources can be elusive. It could be poor posture, repetitive motions or dysfunctional mechanics in the workplace, hobby or sport. Coach Amy helps identify tricky sources of injury and modifies activity to prevent additional tissue damage.

Patients can initiate early control with ice in the first 24 hours of injury. Moist heat after the first 24 hours with compression and elevation can help the blood flow. The benefits of NSAID's and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories are controversial. While they can help control pain, they can also interfere with the powerful early healing process associated with inflammation.

Coach Amy uses dry needling techniques to enhance and control the early inflammatory process. While acute (early) inflammation benefits the body, lingering inflammation can be harmful. Check out next week's post to learn more about identifying and combating harmful, persistent inflammation.