Pros & Cons of Inflammation in the Body

“What are the benefits of cryotherapy?” is a question we’re asked daily. When we list the many benefits in reply, “It can reduce inflammation around the body” is the most significant benefit. And ‘inflammation’ is a word you’ll hear come up again and again at our clinic, especially as we’re in the business of dealing with sports injuries.

But here is the thing – while most people have heard the word ‘inflammation’, not everyone knows what it really means, why it’s sometimes a good thing and why other times it’s not. And that’s exactly what we’re diving into here. Because once you understand inflammation, you’ll see why treatments like cryotherapy can make such a big difference.

 

What is inflammation?

 

Inflammation gets a bit of a bad rep, but the truth is it’s actually one of the body’s best tricks. It’s your inbuilt alarm system and natural defence mechanism, kicking into gear whenever there’s an injury, infection or irritant (including intense exercise) to deal with. It works to clear out damaged cells, fend off nasties and jumpstart the healing process. Even when you notice a fever, mild pain, warmth or swelling, these are simply signs that your body is healing itself.

BUT…

But when inflammation hangs around longer than it should when there’s no real threat or occurs in your healthy tissue, that’s when things can take a turn. Long-term, low-grade inflammation is linked to a whole host of health issues and that’s when we need to step in and help the body hit the reset button.

The saying “too much of a good thing” applies to much of life, but especially to inflammation. – Harvard Medical School

Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, medical editor of Understanding Inflammation from Harvard Health Publishing and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School says, “Some inflammation is good. Too much is often bad. The goal is to recognize when inflammation is simply doing its job, and when it can potentially cause problems.”

 

 

Types of inflammation

 

Acute inflammation

 

The helpful kind of inflammation. It’s short-term and shows up quickly in response to injury or infection. Your inflammatory system is isolating and eliminating the threat before healing the area and disappearing, usually between a few hours and a few days

Examples could be: cuts, scrapes, burns, infections, insect bites, broken bones, muscles sprains, strains and contusions.

 

Chronic inflammation

 

The unhelpful kind of inflammation. Chronic inflammation doesn’t always start off as the villain. It often begins just like any normal immune response – your body spots a problem and jumps into action. But instead of switching off once the job is done, the inflammation hangs around. Sometimes that’s because the original threat hasn’t been properly dealt with. Other times, it sticks around long after the issue is gone. In some cases, your body might even sound the alarm when there’s no real problem at all.

Left unchecked, this constant state of alert can lead the immune system to mistakenly attack healthy tissues and organs. Over time, this ongoing internal battle has been linked to a whole host of serious health conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, cancer and even Alzheimer’s.

This image from Woburn Osteopaths, sums it up nicely:

 

 

The Pros of Inflammation

 

Believe it or not, inflammation is essential for survival. It’s how we heal. It helps your body:

• Fight off infections
• Heal wounds and injuries
• Repair tissue
• Activate immune responses to keep you healthy

 

What would happen if we didn’t have inflammation at all?

 

Imagine cutting your finger and nothing happening – no redness, no swelling, no healing. That’s life without inflammation. Without this clever built-in response, our bodies wouldn’t be able to fight off infections, heal injuries or recover from even the most minor knocks. Viruses and bacteria would run riot, and wounds would stay open and vulnerable. In short, inflammation is absolutely essential for survival. It’s our body’s way of calling in the emergency services when something goes wrong.

The problem only arises when that emergency team doesn’t go home after the job’s done. That’s when the good guy becomes the troublemaker – and why learning to manage inflammation (rather than wipe it out) is so important.

 

The Cons of Inflammation

 

Chronic diseases linked to inflammation are responsible for at least 60% of deaths worldwide (although this figured has been argued to be much higher, up to 74%), according to the World Health Organization. Conditions linked to chronic inflammation include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis)
• Certain cancers
• Asthma
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and other digestive issues
• Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases
• Depression and anxiety

At Cryojuvenate, we’ve treated so many clients with chronic conditions with cold therapy. Here are a few of our older blogs that look at some of these conditions:

• Hoffa’s Fat Pad and 2 Other Lesser Known Conditions Cryotherapy Can Help With
• Sjögren’s Syndrome – Cryotherapy vs. Autoimmune Conditions

 

What else can cause chronic inflammation?

 

It’s not just injuries or illnesses that spark inflammation. A number of lifestyle factors can cause it to flare up or stick around:

• Poor diet – especially one high in processed foods, sugar, trans fats, and refined carbs
• Lack of physical activity
• Chronic stress – prolonged high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) can keep your body in a constant state of alert
• Sleep deprivation – your body repairs itself while you sleep
• Smoking and excess alcohol
• Environmental toxins – pollution, pesticides and chemicals in everyday products

These triggers can lead to a constant low-level immune response, where your body remains slightly inflamed all the time. Over time, this puts stress on your organs, damages healthy cells, and increases the risk of developing chronic conditions. Even if you feel fine on the surface, the underlying inflammation could be slowly chipping away at your long-term health.

What’s more, many of these triggers work together – stress can affect sleep, poor sleep can impact diet and so on. It becomes a cycle that’s hard to break without some conscious changes. Luckily, there are ways to interrupt that cycle and bring your body back into balance.

 

How to Tackle Inflammation: Lifestyle & Treatment Approaches

 

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to reduce inflammation – and most of them are simple, everyday changes:

• Eat more anti-inflammatory foods – Think leafy greens, oily fish (like salmon), nuts, seeds, berries, turmeric, ginger, and olive oil
• Exercise regularly – Even moderate activity like walking can help
• Get enough sleep – Aim for 7-9 hours a night
• Reduce stress – Mindfulness, yoga, deep breathing, journaling… whatever works for you
• Stay hydrated – It helps flush toxins and keeps everything functioning properly
• Holistic therapies – such as acupuncture or (you guessed it!) cryotherapy

 

 

Treating chronic inflammation usually requires a well-rounded plan. This often involves a mix of lifestyle tweaks, nutrition, and in some cases, medication. For many people, it starts with eating better, sleeping more, and finding ways to de-stress. Some might benefit from supplements (like omega-3s or curcumin), while others may be prescribed anti-inflammatory medications such as NSAIDs or corticosteroids. Whatever the route, it’s important to work alongside a trusted healthcare professional to find what works best for your body and needs.

This WebMD blog has lots of helpful info too – read it here.

Always consult your GP or medical provider before starting any new treatment.

 

How Cryotherapy Helps Reduce Inflammation

 

Cryotherapy works by exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures (we’re talking –80°C for up to 5 minutes). Sounds intense, right? But it’s completely safe when done under supervision and it packs a punch when it comes to inflammation.

 

 

Here’s how it helps:

Vasoconstriction – The cold causes your blood vessels to constrict, which helps reduce swelling and slows down the inflammatory response.
Flushes out toxins – When you warm up again, your blood vessels dilate, helping fresh, oxygen-rich blood flow back through your body, promoting healing.
Reduces inflammatory markers – Cryotherapy has been shown to lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (those are proteins that trigger inflammation).
Improves recovery time – This is why athletes love it. It helps muscles bounce back faster, reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and boosts performance over time.

Learn more about our Whole Body Cryotherapy Chamber and our Localised Cryotherapy treatment.

Study Spotlight: Whole-body cryotherapy can reduce the inflammatory response in humans –  read it here.

We’re always here to chat more about how cryotherapy works and whether it’s right for you. Whether you’re managing a specific condition, recovering from intense workouts, or just curious about the benefits – book in, stop by, and give it a go. Your body will thank you.