Inflammation – What Does It Mean?
Let us begin by exploring the meaning of the word and what is implied when we speak about the effects of inflammation in the body. Inflammation can be a temporary response to a minor infliction to the skin or it can be a major response to systemic infection or other key assault on the body. This short article is but a portal into a greater exploration that requires further reading and study.

Inflammation: (L. inflammare, from flamma, flame) The complicated physiological process in mobilization of body defenses against foreign substances and infection agents, and repair damage from such agents.¹

Inflammatory Response: A complex series of interactions between fragments of damaged cells, surrounding tissues, circulating blood cells and specific antibodies; typical of infection.²

The Immune Response – Inflammation
The signs of inflammation are redness, swelling, heat and pain with an inability for normal cells to function correctly. Inflammation occurs only in vascular tissues.³ The purpose of the inflammatory response is to mobilize the body's defenses against infection.⁴ The biological signs of inflammation are