3 ms·

Anecdote (may actually not be related, but I think it is): I had back surgery a few years ago due to infrequent recurring of sciatic pain that, during an "epis

Anecdote (may actually not be related, but I think it is): I had back surgery a few years ago due to infrequent recurring of sciatic pain that, during an "episode", made me unable to work for a couple of weeks at a time (I was unable walk or stand or sit for longer than two to three minutes without sciatic pain increasing to intolerable levels). It looked like a relatively simple, and not even particularly extreme, bulging L5 disc impinging on the S1 nerve. What they found out during the surgery (because there's no high-enough resolution scanning to detect this) was that the S1 nerve was actually 'tethered' to the slightly bulging L5 disc due to scar tissue that had become 'sticky' over a number of years (apparently scar tissue, in areas that get recurring aggravation, can become sticky). (Aside: the initial scar tissue was likely caused by a particularly memorably nasty football injury, after which I couldn't walk properly for a couple of weeks - knee drop the spine - yep, that'd do it) So, my issue was not actually caused by a bulging disc impinging the nerve. As it turns out, when doing physical activity (tennis, roller skating, trying to catch my misbehaving children) the S1 nerve moves slightly up and down the spinal nerve cavity as you move your legs whilst running, and this movement of the S1 nerve was 'pulling' on the 'tethered' L5 disc, causing aggravation and inflammation, and it was this inflammation impinging on the S1 nerve and causing the pain. And since the inflammation came well after the activity it takes a while to realise what's happening, such that the cause and the effect are separated by enough time as to make the (secondary) cause (ie. running activity) difficult to diagnose. My pain was caused by inflammation, but that's still only a symptom. The underlying cause, the real thing that actually needed to be fixed, for me, was the S1 nerve/L5 disc tethering. Inflammation is not a cause, it's a symptom. But it could be a symptom of an individual's genetics, and therefore not treatable by anything other than anti-inflammatory drugs. As another anecdote: I get phlegmy after eating certain things. I've heard this is a manifestation of low level allergy to whatever I've eaten. What makes sense to me is that an increased base level of inflammation is a symptom of slight allergy to something environmental. What also makes sense to me is that physical activity reduces inflammation as increasing the flow of blood around the body increases how quickly ones blood is cleansed (by the liver and kidneys and whatever else) of things that may cause inflammation. P.S. The surgery was a success, and I'm back to leading an active lifestyle - even more active than it would have been as I was able to experience life where movement is pain, and thus how wonderful it is to be free of that.

NoPicklez 3y ago
Inflammation is absolutely a symptom and not a cause like you say. Exercise reduces inflammation long term because exercise creates stresses on the body, which signals an inflammatory response to repair and rebuild. Of which the muscles, tissue and cardiovascular system adapt and condition themselves to that level of stress. Therefore, our bodies become better equipped to deal with daily movement and exercise. (Very simplified to the muscular and cardio systems). Physical activity during exercise doesn't reduce inflammation but actually creates it in the short term, for a long term reduction in overall inflammation.
- BLKNSLVR 3y ago
  Literally short term pain for long term gain.
  - NoPicklez 3y ago
    Exactly! Weight lifting is a good simplified way of explaining it. You lift weights, your muscle breaks down and causes inflammation and feels sore, your body as a result signals to repair and rebuild itself. Over time your muscle becomes conditioned to that particular exercise and weight amount. You will then be able to perform that exercise, at that weight easier without the same level of muscle breakdown, soreness or inflammation. Same with running, with enough training you will be able to run that 5k at a time you would have been exhausted at months ago. Through enduring the constant repair and build cycle that inflammation flags from muscular and cardiovascular fatigue. It is why so much emphasis is placed on what you do outside of exercise during recovery, than the effort itself. This is all purely in the context of exercise and not other forms of inflammation which the article also covers.
- candiddevmike 3y ago
  > Exercise reduces inflammation long term because exercise creates stresses on the body, which signals an inflammatory response to repair and rebuild. I don't follow how creating inflammation reduces inflammation. Especially when the inflammation may be food or allergy related.

NoPicklez 3y ago

Inflammation is absolutely a symptom and not a cause like you say. Exercise reduces inflammation long term because exercise creates stresses on the body, which signals an inflammatory response to repair and rebuild. Of which the muscles, tissue and cardiovascular system adapt and condition themselves to that level of stress. Therefore, our bodies become better equipped to deal with daily movement and exercise. (Very simplified to the muscular and cardio systems). Physical activity during exercise doesn't reduce inflammation but actually creates it in the short term, for a long term reduction in overall inflammation.

BLKNSLVR 3y ago
Literally short term pain for long term gain.
- NoPicklez 3y ago
  Exactly! Weight lifting is a good simplified way of explaining it. You lift weights, your muscle breaks down and causes inflammation and feels sore, your body as a result signals to repair and rebuild itself. Over time your muscle becomes conditioned to that particular exercise and weight amount. You will then be able to perform that exercise, at that weight easier without the same level of muscle breakdown, soreness or inflammation. Same with running, with enough training you will be able to run that 5k at a time you would have been exhausted at months ago. Through enduring the constant repair and build cycle that inflammation flags from muscular and cardiovascular fatigue. It is why so much emphasis is placed on what you do outside of exercise during recovery, than the effort itself. This is all purely in the context of exercise and not other forms of inflammation which the article also covers.
candiddevmike 3y ago
> Exercise reduces inflammation long term because exercise creates stresses on the body, which signals an inflammatory response to repair and rebuild. I don't follow how creating inflammation reduces inflammation. Especially when the inflammation may be food or allergy related.