Inflammation Affects Fertility & Health What is Inflammation? Inflammation is characterized by the body’s white blood cells acting as its natural defense by producing infection-combating chemicals. In turn, blood flow to the affected area is heightened, which can cause swelling or inflammation. This step in the process is vital for proper healing of infections and wounds. Unfortunately, this process often results in stimulation of the nerves and eventual pain, which tends to prompt individuals into lessening the inflammation. Symptoms: Redness Swelling Pain or immobility Loss of function There are two different types of inflammation — acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is a normal bodily function which protects and heals the body subsequent to injury or infection. This process uses local blood vessel dilation and increased permeability to enhance blood flow. On the other hand, chronic inflammation is long term redness, swelling and pain. Monocytes and long-lived macrophages engulf and digest specific microorganisms and invaders, while also releasing certain chemical mediators to prolong the inflammatory response. Auto-immune Diseases: In certain cases, the body’s defense system detects a false positive in individuals who have auto-immune disorders such as lupus, fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and rheumatoid, psoriatic, or gouty arthritis. These diseases, in addition to other inflammation-associated diseases, cause an unnecessary inflammatory response, which can actually trigger the body to damage itself by inaccurately detecting normal tissues as being infected. How Does Inflammation Affect Fertility? Inflammation becomes an obstacle to fertility with endometriosis. Characterized as an offshoot of the usual menstrual cycle, endometriosis triggers the same uterine lining to grow beyond its boundaries, in other parts of the body. And, just like your monthly cycle, the lining outside the uterus sheds at the same time, causing extreme pain, irritation to surrounding tissue and permanent scaring and cysts. While only 3-10% of women are plagued by this condition, it does cause up to half the issues regarding infertility. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is another example of inflammation hindering fertility. This condition is defined as a contagion of reproductive organs, specifically female. PID occurs when the cervix is exposed to such infections like gonorrhea or chlamydia and is weaker in protection of internal organs. Originating as an effect of an STD, this disease can evolve and afflict irreversible damage, leading to potential sterility.
Inflammation Affects Fertility & Health
Inflammation Affects Fertility & Health What is Inflammation? Inflammation is characterized by the body’s white blood cells acting as its natural defense by producing infection-combating chemicals. In turn, blood flow to the affected area is heightened, which can cause swelling or inflammation. This step in the process is vital for proper healing of infections and wounds. Unfortunately, this process often results in stimulation of the nerves and eventual pain, which tends to prompt individuals into lessening the inflammation. Symptoms: Redness Swelling Pain or immobility Loss of function There are two different types of inflammation — acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is a normal bodily function which protects and heals the body subsequent to injury or infection. This process uses local blood vessel dilation and increased permeability to enhance blood flow. On the other hand, chronic inflammation is long term redness, swelling and pain. Monocytes and long-lived macrophages engulf and digest specific microorganisms and invaders, while also releasing certain chemical mediators to prolong the inflammatory response. Auto-immune Diseases: In certain cases, the body’s defense system detects a false positive in individuals who have auto-immune disorders such as lupus, fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and rheumatoid, psoriatic, or gouty arthritis. These diseases, in addition to other inflammation-associated diseases, cause an unnecessary inflammatory response, which can actually trigger the body to damage itself by inaccurately detecting normal tissues as being infected. How Does Inflammation Affect Fertility? Inflammation becomes an obstacle to fertility with endometriosis. Characterized as an offshoot of the usual menstrual cycle, endometriosis triggers the same uterine lining to grow beyond its boundaries, in other parts of the body. And, just like your monthly cycle, the lining outside the uterus sheds at the same time, causing extreme pain, irritation to surrounding tissue and permanent scaring and cysts. While only 3-10% of women are plagued by this condition, it does cause up to half the issues regarding infertility. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is another example of inflammation hindering fertility. This condition is defined as a contagion of reproductive organs, specifically female. PID occurs when the cervix is exposed to such infections like gonorrhea or chlamydia and is weaker in protection of internal organs. Originating as an effect of an STD, this disease can evolve and afflict irreversible damage, leading to potential sterility.