Inflammation and Sacha Inchi Oil: What you need to know?

Have you ever experienced frustration after you wake up with a stiff neck? You have a sharp pain shooting through your neck muscles every time you try to turn your head. Or perhaps, you take a stroll in the park after a long day at work, only to be greeted with unwelcome pain and discomfort in your knee and ankle joints? These are the common scenarios that can be attributed to the relationship between inflammation and our body’s response to stress and a prolonged period of inactivity.

Inflammation Definition

In short, inflammation is a body’s immune system response to any injury, infection, or irritation. Inflammation does not start when the wound is already infected by the bacteria – which causes redness and swelling. The redness or swelling is not the start of the inflammation. The inflammation starts when the body is trying to fight against the irritant. It means, you may have an inflammation response, but you don’t even know because the symptoms might show a bit later.

Acute inflammation is normal and a good response from our body to take care of the problem that occurs in the body. However, the inflammation can become chronic inflammation if the inflammation happens for a long period or happens when it is not needed. This can be happened due to ignorance of the inflammation or when the inflammation is not treated and it is NOT normal! Chronic inflammation can be related to various diseases such as arthritis and heart disease.

What are the symptoms of Inflammation?

These are the symptoms of an acute inflammation:

• Redness
• Heat
• Swelling
• Pain
• Loss of Function

Inflammation can limit the normal function of the affected area, for example, limit the function of inflamed joints or reduce the sense of smell when you are having cold/flu. Inflammation leads to restrict mobility and reduces the function of our body.

What is the root of Inflammation?

To understand what is the cause of the discomfort episode, we need to know the relation between the body’s response towards stress and inactivity. Muscles and joints can become stiff and tense after a static position for an extended period of time, such as during sleep or prolonged sitting in the office. Limited movements restricted blood flow, and metabolic waste products build up in the tissues, which trigger the inflammatory response. As the inflammation is a signal of distress to initiate the healing process, it releases chemicals and immune cells that lead to redness, swelling, and pain.

In the case of a stiff neck, the inflammation affects the muscle, tendons, and ligaments, limiting our flexibility and resulting in discomfort. Similarly, when we suddenly engage in exercising after a prolonged period of inactivity, our joints may get inflamed because our body is unfamiliar with the tension exerted. Therefore, this can lead to pain and limit our movement.

What can help to reduce Inflammation?

Joint discomfort or prolonged neck stiffness can impact our daily lives. Mobility restriction can reduce our productivity, affect our mood, and can prevent us from fully engaging in the activities that we love. Hence, it is crucial to address the underlying inflammation.