Infection and inflammation can occur together in your body, but they aren’t the same process. In fact, they can have different effects on your body tissues, different causes and different treatments.
In this article, we outline the key differences between infection and inflammation, how to treat each, and when to seek urgent medical attention.
What is inflammation?
Inflammation is a natural part of your body’s healing process that helps protect you from injury, illness and disease.
In some cases, long term inflammation can have negative health consequences and is linked to chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune disorders.
There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic.
Acute inflammation
When you get a splinter, sprain your ankle or catch a cold, your immune system releases hormones that increase the size of your blood vessels so that more blood can reach the sight of injury or infection.
The increased blood flow can cause symptoms like redness and swelling. Other common symptoms of acute inflammation include heat, pain and loss of function.
Chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation is a slower and more long term form of inflammation that can last for months or years. It can occur even if your body has not suffered an injury or infection.
In some autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks healthy cells causing long term inflammation with harmful effects.
The symptoms of chronic inflammation vary depending on the type of inflammatory condition. For example, inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis can lead to joint pain, numbness, loss of function and stiffness. People with multiple sclerosis may experience issues with balance, cognitive function, vision and fatigue.
What is infection?
An infection happens when a harmful microorganism enters your body and begins to reproduce and multiply.
Infections can be caused by different types of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. Some pathogens have little effect on the body, but others can have serious negative health effects and may even be deadly.
- Bacterial infections often lead to redness, swelling and pain at the sight of infection as well as a fever and swollen lymph glands.
- Viral infections can attack specific healthy cells in your body. For example, the flu virus attacks the upper respiratory tract and can cause a runny nose, fever, nausea and muscular aches.
- Fungal infections may cause a rash, itchiness or blisters on your skin. Athlete’s Foot, vaginal yeast infections and ringworm are common examples.
What’s the difference between infection and inflammation?
Inflammation and infection can occur together in your body and are sometimes confused as the same thing. Understanding the difference between infection and inflammation can help you better identify what first aid treatments are needed and whether you need medical attention.
Can you have inflammation without infection?
Inflammation will almost always occur when you have an infection, but you can have inflammation when you don’t have an infection.
For example, an inflammatory response will occur when you get a paper cut or sunburn even when there is no infection.
Inflammation will also occur when there is an infection to trap bacteria, viruses or other harmful agents that have entered your body.
Key differences
The key differences between infection vs inflammation are summarised below:
- Effect – Infection is the invasion of host tissues by harmful microorganisms. Inflammation is a healing process of the immune system, but can be harmful in some chronic disorders and autoimmune diseases.
- Cause – An infection is caused when a person comes into contact with a pathogen such as infectious bacteria, fungi or virus. Inflammation occurs in response to an injury, infection or disease.
- Treatment – Infections are usually treated with medicine that fights the specific type of infection, for example antibiotic, antifungal or antiparasitic medicines. Acute inflammation can be treated with a cold compress and pain medication. Chronic inflammation is often treated with lifestyle changes and disorder-specific medications.
First aid for inflammation
The appropriate first aid treatment for inflammation depends on what type of inflammation you are dealing with and whether there is an injury that needs additional treatment.
Sprains and and strains can be treated with the RICE method:
- Rest – rest the affected area or provide support such as a sling for an arm injury or tape the affected finger to another finger.
- Ice – ice the affected area for 20 minutes at a time to help reduce swelling, but don’t place ice directly on the skin.
- Compress – wrap an ace bandage or use a brace around the joint to help manage swelling.
- Elevate – try raising the affected limb above heart level to reduce blood flow
You can also use over the counter anti-inflammatory medication like aspirin or ibuprofen to help manage pain and swelling.
How to treat chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation should be treated with professional medical advice. Common treatments include:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Steroids
- Supplements (such as fish oil and lipoic acid)
- Modifying your diet
- Losing weight
- Following an exercise routine
How to prevent infection
Infectious agents enter our bodies through openings like the nose, mouth, ears, anus and genital passages. They can also be transmitted to us through our skin.
Practicing good hygiene is the best way to prevent an infection and stop infectious agents from spreading.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating and cooking and after activities like toileting, playing with pets, gardening and sneezing.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Don’t share glasses, water bottles, cutlery or other eating objects.
Infection in wounds
Wounds should be cleaned and properly dressed using a wound dressing to prevent infection. Any serious injuries should be treated by a doctor and monitored for the signs and symptoms of an infected wound.
A doctor may recommend antiseptic liquid or antibiotic ointment to help prevent or manage an infection.
Also read: Why is wound care important for healing?
Timely first aid for wounds and injuries can help prevent infections and improve outcomes for the patient.
At LFA First Response, we stock a wide range of wound dressing supplies and first aid kit refills to help you manage first aid situations with confidence. Browse our wholesale medical supplies or call our customer support team on 1800 681 544 to see how we can help.
