Inflammation has a bad reputation, but it would be myopic to label it as being all bad. Yes, chronic inflammation can do damage. And yes, inflammation hurts. But inflammation isn’t some random punishment. Inflammation is actually part of the immune system. It exists to aid in healing our tissues and to protect us.
When you have tissue damage, your body mounts an inflammatory response on purpose. Blood vessels at the site of injury become engorged with blood. Your body wants more blood flow to the hurt area because blood carries all of the important stuff that will assist in healing. Blood delivers white blood cells that will eliminate bacteria if there is a wound. Blood also carries proteins that start the healing process and that are the building blocks for the repair of the injury.
The engorged blood vessels leak out a large amount of fluid called exudate. This feels like swelling to you. The exudate carries the white blood cells and the proteins. It also quite literally washes an infected area, cleaning up the site of damage.
Some of the proteins delivered in the blood are bradykinins and prostaglandins. These proteins keep inflammation going and it also stimulates sensory receptors causing pain. Anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen stop prostaglandins from working which can reduce pain. Here, we can celebrate. Yay, clever humans have figured out a way to stop pain!
Hold it right there. It’s great that we can get rid of pain, but, if you inhibited the prostaglandins, you also stopped all the good parts of inflammation from happening, too. There is scientific evidence showing that people who took Ibuprofen after an ankle sprain had less pain, but they had significantly more incidences of repeated ankle sprains than the group that did not take Ibuprofen. In other words, the group that took Ibuprofen had worse tissue healing.
Should we all stop taking anti-inflammatories and icing our injuries? The updated scientific evidence says yes when it comes to acute inflammation. I like to put it another way, and say that you can accept the pain of inflammation today for less pain and problems later. But I also say that the decision is up to you. As long as you are making your decision knowing the evidence, then you can make the best decision for you.
Lindsy B. Campbell, PT, DPT, Cert. MDT
Owner at Mission Valley Physical Therapy
(406) 883-6863
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