Inflammation: Your Body’s Best Defense or Worst Enemy?

August 21, 2026

Illustration of a macrophage releasing cytokines

Inflammation has gotten a bad rap because it’s associated with chronic diseases, obesity and “inflammaging” (increased inflammation with age). But it’s also one of the body’s most critical defenses.

“Inflammation engages our immune system to help with infections, injuries and exposures to harmful substances like allergens and toxins,” says Jacob Wolf, ND, LAc, Dipl. OM, a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist at University Hospitals Connor Whole Health. “It’s an immediate and necessary response to these triggers, and typically resolves after the trigger is cleared.”

What Is Inflammation?

Inflammation is a natural process that the body uses to help protect and heal itself. It can be helpful or harmful, depending on what else is happening in the body. There are two types of inflammatory responses:

Acute inflammation: This is the good kind. It’s your body’s immediate response when you start coming down with a cold, get a cut or sprain your ankle. Acute inflammation can also help you recover from a surgery and build immunity after a vaccination. It helps repair damage and heal your body, and then it goes away within a few hours or days.
Chronic inflammation: This is an immune system response that occurs even when there’s no acute injury, infection or harmful substance. It can last for months or years. “When inflammation becomes chronic it can be harmful,” says Dr. Wolf. It can damage organs and cause illness. Lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, stress, lack of physical activity, obesity and using substances like alcohol and tobacco can contribute to chronic inflammation. “It can also be a result of autoimmune conditions that inappropriately activate the immune system against one’s own body,” he says. A growing body of research suggests that chronic inflammation may be a factor in chronic conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain skin conditions and mood disorders.

Does Inflammation Increase With Age?

There is a low-grade inflammation caused by cellular damage that occurs with age. As you get older, your cells don’t work as well as they used to. Aging cells can also release molecules that fuel chronic low-grade inflammation even when there’s no injury, infection or other trigger.

“These inflammatory molecules help the immune system get rid of the cells when we are younger,” he says. “As we age the immune system may become less responsive and the pro-inflammatory molecules accumulate.”

A number of causes drive inflammaging, including:

Changes in microbiome: An imbalance of microbes in the gut can lead to greater levels of inflammation throughout the body.
Body composition changes: Increased fat around your organs can release inflammatory chemicals.

How Do You Know If Inflammation Is Becoming a Problem?

When the inflammation is in response to a trigger – an infection, injury or exposure to a harmful substance – it’s normal, says Dr. Wolf. Symptoms of acute inflammation may include:

Skin redness
Mild pain
The injured area might feel hot
Swelling
Difficulty moving that part of your body

The symptoms of chronic inflammation can be harder to recognize. They tend to be more widespread throughout the body. They may also overlap with symptoms of other health conditions or be interpreted as signs of aging. Chronic inflammation symptoms may include:

Persistent fatigue
Joint pain or stiffness
Belly or chest pain
Fever
Mood changes
Changes in weight
Digestive changes, like constipation, diarrhea or acid reflux
Skin rash
Repeated infections

“If you have ongoing fatigue, joint stiffness in the morning for longer than one hour, continued digestive issues, or if any of these other symptoms are bothering you, talk to your primary care provider,” says Dr. Wolf.

Assessing Chronic Inflammation

Determining whether your symptoms are caused by chronic inflammation can be challenging, since there’s not necessarily one problem that causes it or a single test that can diagnose it. Inflammation develops from a complex set of systems in the body. Currently, chronic inflammation is typically assessed through blood tests, autoimmune testing and assessment of symptoms, says Dr. Wolf.

Blood Tests

CRP and ESR: C-Reactive Protein and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate tests look at inflammatory markers in the blood. “They are a generic look at systemic inflammation, but do not tell you what the source of the inflammation is or why you have it,” says Dr. Wolf.
CBC: A complete blood count test looks at white blood cells to assess for underlying infection.

Autoimmune Testing

Autoimmune testing often starts with an ANA (antinuclear antigen) test, which is a general screening test for autoimmune conditions.

Symptom Assessment

Dr. Wolf says that your doctor is also likely to ask you about symptoms such as persistent fatigue, joint pain, stiffness, mood changes, digestive changes and other signs that may suggest chronic inflammation.

How to Prevent or Reduce Inflammation

You don’t necessarily need to be treated for inflammation. If a part of your body is acutely inflamed, it can typically be managed with rest, ice packs or proper wound care, and should heal relatively quickly.

If the inflammation is chronic, your doctor may recommend supplements, over-the-counter NSAIDs or corticosteroids to decrease inflammation. If you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic condition, such as an autoimmune disease, immunosuppressant or biologic medications may be prescribed.

You can also help prevent or reduce inflammation by practicing healthy lifestyle habits. Dr. Wolf recommends:

Eating a healthy plant-focused diet, such as the Mediterranean or DASH Diet.
Limiting processed foods.
Getting quality sleep.
Exercising for 150 minutes a week.
Decreasing stress.
Avoiding harmful substances, such as tobacco and alcohol.
Maintaining social connections.

“Research shows that strong social connections can lead to reduced inflammatory markers,” says Dr. Wolf. “Similarly, isolation and loneliness can lead to elevations of similar markers.”

The goal isn’t to eliminate inflammation altogether, but to stay as healthy as possible and help your body’s immune response stay balanced. Living a healthy lifestyle can be effective for many people, but it’s not always possible to modify the factors that cause chronic inflammation, says Dr. Wolf. “If you have worked though the healthy lifestyle habits listed above and have not seen improvements, check in with your healthcare provider.”