Signs of chronic inflammation: Understanding the body’s response

Picture this: you're tucked up in bed with a nasty head cold, sipping hot cups of tea and bingeing on a comforting TV show. You're pretty sure you've never felt worse, but you also know that it shouldn't last too much longer.

Now, let's look at what's going on inside your body. That runny nose, persistent cough and fever are all signs of inflammation. They are also signs that your immune system is working exactly as it should.

While low-grade inflammation like this is normal, there are times when it goes on too long. Long-term inflammation, also known as chronic inflammation, can have harmful effects on your body.

We're here to help you understand inflammation in all its forms, including:

• The difference between acute and chronic inflammation
• How to check your inflammation levels
• Lifestyle factors that can help reduce inflammation in your body
• And the role that weight gain plays in your risk of inflammatory diseases

What is inflammation?

Inflammation doesn’t sound like the best thing for your body, but it’s actually a healthy part of your immune system [1][3].

Whenever your body is injured or recognises something harmful (like a virus or toxin), it sends out white blood cells to help clean it up and start the healing process.

Inflammation is a sign that this process has begun. This process is meant to be short-term, lasting only as long as it takes your body to heal.

Scientifically, they call this acute inflammation. The symptoms of acute inflammation are things like: redness, swelling, pain and heat [5].

To put it another way, normal inflammation is the reason you might have a fever with a head cold or notice swelling when you cut your finger. The purpose of acute inflammation is to help you fight off the infection or heal the tissue damage [2].

But sometimes inflammation lasts too long, which is where we get into chronic inflammation.

When does inflammation become chronic?

Chronic inflammation is long-term inflammation that lasts for months or even years [1]. It is sometimes known as slow or systemic inflammation.

You could almost say chronic inflammation is like a glitch in the system. For some reason, your body believes it is under constant attack, so it keeps releasing white blood cells to clean up the threats [3].

But when it can’t find any threats, it doesn’t stop the inflammatory response. Instead, it starts turning it toward healthy tissues and organs.

It’s not always clear why this glitch happens – so it’s also hard to say how we can stop it. We do know of a few potential triggers for chronic inflammation, such as [1]: 

• An infection that lasts for a long time
• Frequent, low-level exposure to toxic chemicals or substances
• Autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus

Certain lifestyle factors can lead to inflammation, which we’ll explore in detail later.

What are the signs of chronic inflammation? 

Chronic inflammation has a few common symptoms to be aware of – and they’re surprisingly subtle. Typical signs of chronic inflammation might include [1][5]:

• Body pain or aches: especially joint pain
• Fatigue: which is tiredness that doesn’t go away even after a good sleep
• Mood disorders: such as anxiety or depression
• Gut symptoms: like acid reflux, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea
• Allergy symptoms: like a runny nose or watery eyes that won’t go away
• Skin rashes: such as eczema or psoriasis
• Getting sick often: such as a frequent or recurring infection

You can see from this list just how diverse and tricky the symptoms can be. They are easy to dismiss and could be a sign of many different health conditions.

In fact, many people find out they have chronic inflammation while they’re being diagnosed or treated for another condition.

It’s a good reminder to check in with your doctor whenever you’re feeling under the weather or have noticed changes in your health.

How is chronic inflammation measured or checked?

No one likes the idea of going through multiple medical tests, so we’re glad to share that diagnosing low-grade inflammation can be surprisingly simple. The most common method is a blood test, which looks at your levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) [1][3].

Your doctor is the best person to ask about checking your inflammation levels. They’re also the only person who should be diagnosing any underlying conditions that can cause inflammation.

What factors can influence chronic inflammation?

There are lots of factors that could impact the amount of inflammation in your body – from certain medical conditions to lifestyle choices. Here’s what you should know.

Medical conditions

For people living with an inflammatory or autoimmune disease, chronic inflammation can be an unfortunate side effect of this underlying health condition.

Examples of auto-immune disorders and chronic inflammatory diseases include [4]:

• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Endometriosis
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Obesity
• Rheumatoid arthritis

It’s not always clear why these conditions happen, but research is continuing to look into many of them [6]. We do know that some of them are triggered by genetics, while others could be environmental factors or even an infection that didn’t heal properly.

As with any serious health problem, you must work with your doctor on both a diagnosis and a treatment or management plan.

Diet

The more we learn about inflammation, the more we realise how lifestyle factors like your diet can play a role.

While there’s no one anti-inflammatory diet to rule them all, there are some unhealthy foods that are best kept away from and healthy foods that can be enjoyed as often as you like.

Examples of foods that could promote inflammation include [3][7]:

• Processed meats: including bacon, sausages and salami
• Sugar-sweetened beverages: like soda, fruit juice and sports drinks
• Sugary foods: such as cakes or biscuits
• Refined carbohydrates: like white bread or pasta

Examples of anti-inflammatory foods to eat regularly include [1][3][7]:

• Rich in antioxidants: think berries, cherries, apples, red grapes, red onions, brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower, spinach and kale.
• High in fibre: a high-fibre diet has been shown to help reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, so try to choose whole grains like brown rice, wholemeal bread and oats.
• Omega-3 fats: fatty fish like mackerel, salmon and sardines contain plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
• Green or black tea: studies show that the polyphenols in tea can help reduce inflammation.
• Fermented foods: foods like yoghurt, kimchi, cottage cheese and kombucha can all help build up good gut bacteria, which supports your immune system.
• Herbs and spices: many herbs and spices like black pepper, turmeric, ginger and garlic are considered anti-inflammatory.

Various micronutrients can help with inflammation – such as vitamin D and E, magnesium, selenium and zinc [1]. A healthy diet should include plenty of these, but you can also ask your doctor for advice on supplements.

Exercise

The next best thing after your diet is getting plenty of exercise. We have lots of research that shows exercise can help reduce inflammation. It can also strengthen the heart, muscles and bones, which helps lower your risk of serious disease [1].

It doesn’t have to be a marathon every other week, either. One study found that even 20 minutes of moderate exercise, like walking on a treadmill, was enough to lower inflammation [3].

Weight management 

When it comes to inflammation, studies have found that fat tissue is a key source of pro-inflammatory proteins [2]. These are the kind that can lead to chronic inflammation if left unchecked for too long.

We know that maintaining a healthy weight isn’t always easy, but it is an important step for your overall health.

Want some good news? Even small steps like getting more exercise have the potential to reduce inflammation. For example, one study found that regular exercise was a good way to reduce pro-inflammatory proteins for people living with obesity [2].

There are also lots of options for support on your weight loss journey – from speaking with your doctor to joining a programme, like Juniper.

With the Juniper Programme, you can access weight loss medication tailored to your health and goals — never one-size-fits-all. Our app helps you track progress, connect with your care team, adjust medication as needed, and access expert support. You'll also get structured tools to build lasting habits and ongoing care.

Kickstart your weight loss journey with Wegovy, a groundbreaking weight loss injection that mimics the GLP-1 hormone to help control cravings, delay stomach emptying, and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

We help you make lifestyle and habit changes, and we’re in it with you for the long run, having helped thousands of women achieve their weight loss goals.

Can chronic inflammation be prevented?

We’d love to say a resounding yes for this one, but it’s more like an ‘it depends’ kind of answer.

Many of the risk factors for chronic inflammation are lifestyle choices, which means you should be able to prevent inflammation if you improve them. Examples include [1]:

• Diet: Research has linked chronic inflammation with certain foods, such as those high in saturated and trans-fats or refined sugar. On the opposite side, there are healthy foods with anti-inflammatory properties, like the ones we listed earlier
• Smoking: Cutting back or quitting smoking altogether
• Stress: Minimising stress and trying techniques like yoga or meditation
• Sleep: Focusing on quality sleep and a regular sleep schedule
• Weight: Reducing excess weight and body fat is important because fat tissue is known to increase inflammation

Alongside these lifestyle choices, there are also factors like age or hormones that you can’t really do much about or manage on your own [1].

Our advice is to check in with your doctor to discuss inflammation, your potential risk factors and how you might be able to protect against them. 

When should you seek medical guidance?

It's always a good time to visit the doctor, especially if you notice changes in your health or experience new symptoms that concern you.

As we mentioned earlier, many of the symptoms of chronic inflammation are subtle and easy to dismiss. For your health, we recommend checking in sooner rather than later.

Chronic inflammation can also be a sign of chronic diseases that require treatment, which means figuring it out early can help you get the best support. Plus, there are some medications that may be helpful, which only your doctor can provide [1]. 

Leaving inflammation unchecked can also put you at higher risk of serious disease, from heart disease to diabetes, chronic kidney disease, stroke or cancer.

It’s all about being informed – which starts with a chat with your doctor. They can help you do simple checks for inflammation in the body and recommend next steps for your health.

And, if you want further support with lifestyle changes like weight loss, our team is here for you every step of the way.

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