Inflammation is the body's response to injury or infection. It may result in pain, swelling, redness, warmth, or loss of function of the affected body part.
In some cases inflammation develops as part of a disease process, such as the inflammation that occurs in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, or an allergic reaction.
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise