Inflammation: What It Actually Is, and What Influences It

Dr M, Mitchell Road Chiropractic

Inflammation is your body’s natural response to things like injury, illness, or stress — it’s not inherently ‘bad’, and it plays an important role in healing. The issue tends to arise when inflammation becomes more ongoing or low-level over time, often influenced by factors like chronic stress, sleep, and how the nervous system is functioning — rather than a single obvious cause.

Is inflammation always a bad thing?

Not at all — inflammation is a normal, necessary part of how your body responds to things like injury or illness. Short-term inflammation is part of the healing process.

Where it becomes more of a concern is when it’s more ongoing or low-grade — sometimes described as ‘chronic’ inflammation — which is less about a specific injury and more about an underlying pattern.

What causes ongoing, low-level inflammation?

There’s rarely one single cause. Things like chronic stress, poor sleep, and how the nervous system is functioning can all play a role — alongside other factors like diet and overall lifestyle, which are best discussed with your GP if you have specific concerns.

From a nervous system perspective, ongoing activation — the body staying in a more ‘on’ state — can be part of this picture too.

Can I feel inflammation, or is it something that only shows up in tests?

Both, in different ways. Sometimes inflammation is associated with noticeable things — swelling, stiffness, or discomfort. Other times, ongoing low-level inflammation may not be obviously ‘felt’ in a specific spot, but can relate to broader feelings like fatigue or general tension.

If you have specific concerns about inflammation — particularly if it’s persistent or you’re unsure what’s driving it — it’s worth discussing with your GP, who can investigate this properly.

How does chiropractic care relate to inflammation, if at all?

Chiropractic care doesn’t treat inflammation directly — but because nervous system regulation is part of the broader picture around chronic, low-level inflammation, care that supports this may be a useful piece of a wider approach, alongside medical guidance where relevant.