Seven steps that may help resolve inflammation and speed up your healing.
The resolution of inflammation whether acute or chronic is critical for healing. The last two phases of the Healing Process, Proliferation and Maturation are dependent on the appropriate resolution of inflammation.
In many cases resolving rather than stopping inflammation may be what is ideally required.
The resolution of inflammation is not the same as stopping inflammation which is what non-steroid-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and corticosteroids attempt to do.
To further support resolution of inflammation check out What factors influence wound healing?
Seven steps that may help resolve inflammation:
Food
Supplements
Vitamins
Lifestyles changes
Pre-existing conditions
Medication
Gentle massage and exercise
Food
Consult with your doctor, naturopath and/or dietician to help determine what are the best foods for you. The following foods may help resolve inflammation.
Fruits, especially cherries, blue berries, oranges and tomatoes as well as nuts such as walnuts and almonds have been reported to help resolve inflammation. Eating broccoli, avocados, leafy greens, like kale and spinach and high fibre foods may also help. Ditto for eating fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, and mackerel
Using olive oil, mushrooms, like portobello and shiitake, and spices like turmeric, ginger and cloves have been shown to help resolve inflammation. You could also sip green tea.
Supplements
Consult with your doctor and/or naturopath for the best supplements for you, the correct dosage, and the frequency.
Here is a list of supplements that may help resolve inflammation.
Curcumin, found in turmeric.
Black pepper can help absorb curcumin
Cayenne pepper
Fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids
Gingerol and zingerone, found in ginger
Resveratrol, found in grapes, blueberries
Spirulina
Bromelain, found in pineapples
Green tea extract
Garlic
Lipoic acid, found in red meat especially organ meat, spinach, broccoli, yams, potatoes, yeast, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, beets, and rice bran.
Vitamins
Consult with your doctor and/or naturopath for the best vitamins for you, the correct dosage, and the frequency. Studies have suggested that vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K may help resolve inflammation.
Lifestyle changes
The following lifestyle changes may help resolve inflammation. Seek advice and support to help with the following lifestyle changes.
Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
Gentle exercise every day is ideal
Deep and restful sleep
Hot or cold therapy
Avoid or quit smoking
Limit or no alcohol
Manage or reduce chronic stress
Pre-existing conditions.
Consult with your doctor and/or naturopath about how any pre-existing conditions may adversely affect the resolution of inflammation and what steps you can take to help the resolution of inflammation.
Medication
Prescription medications can have a negative effect on healing. For instance, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs often prescribed for arthritis and found over the counter as aspirin and ibuprofen, can interfere with the inflammation stage of the healing process. Anticoagulants have the capacity to disrupt blood clotting, while immunosuppressants may weaken the immune system and enhance the risk of infection.
Consult with your doctor or medical specialist before taking over the counter prescriptions such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen so you are informed of risk factors and conditions, and appropriate prescription. Unless prescribed by your doctor, medication is ideally used after other options have not been effective
Gentle massage and gentle exercise
Gentle massage therapy and gentle exercise when appropriately applied has been shown to support the resolution of the last three phases of the Healing Process helping the body heal quicker and cleaner.
Almost every person who attends my clinic has inflammation. Some of the conditions that have inflammation as one of the symptoms include tension headaches, neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain, digestive problems, overworking in the gym or a yoga class, mental and emotional stress, and general fatigue.
When we tighten our body, our body responds by producing inflammation as an important part of healing. When we strain or fatigue our body, our body produces inflammation to heal. All trauma has inflammation. All infections have inflammation.
Massage can help relax and make supple hard and tightened muscle and fascia. It can release fascial adhesions that cause friction and inflammation.
Massage can improve local circulation by mechanical moving fluids in and out of an area.
Massage can visibly reduce swelling (oedema) in one session.