Recording-2025-03-04T17:32:27.891Z

Overview of Inflammation

• Inflammation can occur after an injury and may manifest in various ways throughout the body.

  • Can be felt far from the original injury site.

Types of Inflammation

• No Injury: No inflammation.

• Injury Present: Results in active inflammation.

  • Can take various forms:

    • Acute Inflammation

    • Chronic Inflammation

    • Localized or Systemic

• Inflammation Risk Factors:

  • Obesity, poor diet, and advanced age increase likelihood of inflammation.

  • Free Radicals: Associated with aging.

Acute Inflammation

• Mechanism of Action:

  • Involves vascular changes, inflammatory chemicals, and white blood cells.

• Physical Signs:

  • Redness and Warmth: Due to increased blood flow to the affected area.

  • Swelling: Occurs when fluid leaks from blood vessels into tissues (exudate).

  • Pain: Triggered by swelling and inflammation.

Vascular Changes in Acute Inflammation

• Capillary Dynamics:

  • Blood vessels (arteries, venules, capillaries) become more permeable.

• Exudate:

  • Fluid containing antibodies and white blood cells that help combat pathogens.

• Formation of Exudate:

  • Varies in composition depending on the phase of the inflammatory response.

  • Early exudate may be seen in blisters.

Cellular Response to Inflammation

• White Blood Cells (Leukocytes):

  • Enter injured tissue to combat pathogens and clean up dead cells.

  • Release white blood cell mediators that help in the immune response.

  • Involved in the process called Pavementing:

    • White blood cells slow down and adhere to blood vessel walls.

• Diapedesis:

  • Squeezing between endothelial cells in blood vessels to reach the site of injury.

Timeline of Acute Inflammation Events

• Students are encouraged to create a timeline to visualize the sequence of events in acute inflammation following an injury, capturing physical signs such as redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as they progress.