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Inflammation Archive

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Should you monitor this chronic inflammation marker?

Increasingly, tests that measure C-reactive protein are marketed to health-conscious consumers as a way of determining if they have chronic inflammation. However, the test is just one piece of evidence and should be interpreted by one's doctor. Without that expertise, a customer might not understand what the CRP test result means, and as a result might suffer unnecessary anxiety or pursue unnecessary tests. It's best to talk to one's doctor before seeking tests that measure CRP levels.

If you have knee pain, telehealth may help

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the number one cause of chronic knee pain, affecting nearly a quarter of people 40 or older. A recent study of people with overweight or obesity and OA showed that telehealth visits can be an effective way to provide care and may even help with weight loss, which can improve symptoms and prevent OA from worsening.

Anti-inflammatory food superstars for every season

Inflammation is part of the body's healing process, but chronic inflammation can contribute to a range of health issues. In every season, regularly eating a variety of anti-inflammatory foods can benefit your health.

Breathing your way to better health

Taking time out of a stressful day to perform simple breathing exercises can reduce chronic stress and prevent the harm it can inflict on the body. Even a few short breathing sessions can make a big difference for many people. Chronic stress, when it goes unchecked, can lead to a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, obesity, anxiety, depression, and reduced immune response.

Taming the chronic inflammation of psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which the immune system attacks the skin. It causes painful skin lesions and may also lead to psoriatic arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or coronary artery disease. Psoriasis treatments include topical steroids, gentle exfoliant lotions, emollients that keep the skin hydrated, ultraviolet light (phototherapy), laser therapies, vitamin A (retinoid creams), and medications (for moderate-to-severe psoriasis). People with psoriasis are encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 with an mRNA vaccine (from either Pfizer or Moderna) as soon as possible, if they haven’t already done so.

Do people who have COVID-19 go on to develop other diseases?

Evidence suggests that people who recover from COVID-19 have an increased risk for developing new health problems, including heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, muscle inflammation, blood clots that travel to the lungs, strokes from clots or hemorrhages, or psychosis. This is in addition to permanent damage that can result from having COVID, including damage to the lungs, heart, kidneys, brain, or other organs; and debilitating fatigue, difficulty thinking, and other symptoms that make it hard to function normally at work or at home.

Fruit of the month: Apples

Unpeeled apples are good sources of both fiber and compounds called polyphenols that benefit heart health. Eating apples often may help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation.

Beyond blood pressure: Added benefits from the DASH diet

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating pattern doesn’t just lower blood pressure. It may also reduce inflammation, heart injury, and heart strain.

New treatment for pericarditis approved

The FDA has approved a new drug called rilonacept (Arcalyst) to specifically treat recurrent pericarditis, a painful inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the heart.

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