Life slowly but surely takes its toll on our bodies. As we age, a variety of day-to-day actions become more difficult. These challenges – often brought on by poor diet, lack of exercise and other unhealthy habits – can be increasingly difficult to overcome with age. Many of these conditions result in pain that can further inhibit our ability to live active, healthy lives.
Perhaps the most common ailment that people struggle with as they age is inflammation. This natural and vital response to stress and injury can appear in virtually every part of the body, but most often pops up in joints and extremities. Inflammation can occur under basically any situation: from vigorous exercise to underlying health issues, this ailment can be a menace to our daily routines.
While inflammation is a natural and common physical experience, there are some situations in which it becomes too much. Many sufferers utilize natural anti-inflammatories like curcumin to relieve pain and discomfort, but what should you look for to determine if it’s time to take action? Here are five signs that inflammation is hurting your quality of life beyond what’s acceptable.
You Suffer from Daily Joint Pain
While it’s perfectly natural to feel sore or have aches after a strenuous day, those who suffer from chronic inflammation need little to no obvious excuse for this pain. Inflammation that causes aches and pain most commonly surfaces in various joints, including the knees, elbows, ankles and shoulders. This pain can severely limit the amount of physical activity you participate in and ultimately makes it difficult to enjoy life from day to day. For joint pain, it’s important to get to the bottom of the situation: here, Vitamonk discusses what to take for inflammation.
You Break Out in Rashes
While pain in bones and joints are most commonly considered the primary form of inflammation, there are other ways in which it can manifest. One such example is in the form of a number of rashes, which is the skin’s response to infection, stress or other stimuli. This can include conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and even shingles (herpes zoster). Rashes can also develop when you are experiencing a chronic allergic reaction to something around you: finding the source of this problem is crucial in restoring your quality of life.
You Are Constantly Congested
Virtually every part of the body can become inflamed due to a plethora of health conditions and problems. This includes the respiratory tract and sinuses, which respond to inflammation somewhat differently than other parts of the body. Those who are chronically experiencing congestion, coughing and/or excessive mucus production may be experiencing at its core a form of inflammation. If every day is met by difficulty breathing or smelling, then consulting with a medical professional on how to end this will lead to a better quality of life.
You Have Digestion Issues
Dietary choices, allergic reactions and inherent genetic conditions can all cause digestive problems. For those who have trouble making it through each day without bloating, constipation, diarrhea and abdominal/intestinal pain are likely suffering from some form of inflammation. This can be due to specific food allergies or the result of a variety of conditions such as IBS/IBD and Crohn’s disease. Digestive inflammation often needs medical treatment to improve, so do not ignore these signs.
You Are Always Tired
It turns out that when the body is constantly fighting infection or damage by producing inflammation, that can leave you feeling drained. At their core, many individuals’ struggles with fatigue, lethargy and energy levels in general are caused by one or more forms of inflammation. This can manifest through conditions such as rheumatoid diseases, arthritis and even cancer. As such, you shouldn’t put off seeing a doctor if your quality of life is suffering due to having no energy.
Inflammation can affect any part of the body, and the causes for inflammation can be numerous. If inflammation is negatively impacting your quality of life, then consider these five examples and be sure to seek medical assistance – your happiness and health are worth it.
