Inflammation is a byproduct of the immune system. When the immune system is doing its job to protect the body, inflammation naturally occurs. In fact, when you catch a cold, the bulk of your symptoms are actually the result of inflammation — not the bug itself.
Thanks to improved understanding of the immune response, treatment for both acute and chronic inflammation has improved, allowing millions to live a better quality of life.
References
Harvard Health Publishing. (2021). What is inflammation?
Immune Deficiency Foundation. (2019). The immune system and primary immunodeficiency.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. (2018). What is an inflammation? InformedHealth.org [Internet].
Why trust our experts?
Written by:
Lauren Smith, MALauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Reviewed by:
Alexandra Schwarz, MDAlexandra Schwarz, MD, is a board-eligible sleep medicine physician and a board-certified family medicine physician. She is a member of both the AASM and the ABFM.
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