What Are the Top Symptoms of Chronic Inflammation?

Written by Institute for Natural Medicine Staff

Medically Reviewed by Signe Poquette, ND

Published February 2, 2026
Last Updated February 2, 2026

Understanding acute and chronic inflammation

There are three types of inflammation: acute, subacute, and chronic.¹

“Acute inflammation is the body’s healthy response to injury or infection,” says Sarah Bonza, MD, MPH, FAAFP, MSCP, who practices in Upper Arlington, Ohio. “It’s protective and resolves quickly. Chronic inflammation is different. It’s a low-grade, persistent inflammatory state that often operates silently for years. Rather than healing the body, it gradually damages tissues and disrupts normal cellular function.”

During an acute inflammatory response, soluble mediators, such as cytokines, chemokines, and acute-phase proteins, recruit inflammatory cells to eliminate the threat and initiate healing. Without a resolution, inflammation enters a subacute phase, typically lasting two to six weeks. Inflammation that persists beyond six weeks is considered chronic.²

A prolonged inflammatory response can harm the body, as ongoing immune activation continues to fire off inflammatory cells, setting the stage for disease development.¹^,³

“The encouraging news is that lifestyle interventions—nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management—can meaningfully reduce chronic inflammation,” Dr. Bonza notes. “Early intervention matters enormously. By the time chronic disease has fully developed, we’re managing damage. When we catch inflammation earlier, we have a real opportunity to change the trajectory.”

What causes chronic inflammation?

Physical inactivity, frequent infections, prolonged stress, exposure to environmental toxins, and dietary deficiencies may contribute to chronic inflammation. There are also specific risk factors¹^,²:

Abdominal obesity, as excess visceral fat tissue releases pro-inflammatory compounds⁴
Diets high in trans fats and saturated fats, such as fried foods, baked goods, and hydrogenated oils
High-glycemic foods, especially refined carbohydrates, sugary sodas, and high-fructose corn syrup
Other lifestyle factors, like smoking, lack of physical activity, irregular sleep, chronic stress, and gut dysbiosis

Serious complications of persistent inflammation

Inflammation is an underlying cause of many serious conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.¹

“In my twenty years working with chronically ill patients,” says Dr. Bonza, “I’ve seen how inflammation sits at the center of so many conditions. What’s striking is how it becomes a vicious cycle: excess weight promotes inflammation, inflammation promotes insulin resistance, and insulin resistance makes it harder to lose weight. Breaking that cycle early is where prevention really lives.”

Atherosclerosis, stroke, and diabetes are strongly associated with chronic, low-grade inflammation.⁵

Chronic inflammation also plays a role in autoimmune disorders like systemic lupus erythematosus. People with autoimmune conditions are often vulnerable to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and ischemic heart disease.²^,⁵

Other autoimmune conditions linked to inflammation include the following:

Inflammatory bowel disease: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect the digestive tract, causing abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, bloody stool, and fatigue. Depression and anxiety are also common⁶
Rheumatoid arthritis: Pain and swelling are common symptoms of this inflammatory disease that affects the joints.³
Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: About 35% of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.⁵
Multiple sclerosis: Affecting the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis impairs motor function and visual, sensory, and cognitive function.⁷
Sjögren’s syndrome: Sjögren’s strikes the salivary and tear glands, causing dryness in the eyes and mouth, and may also affect other mucosal surfaces, like the airways, vagina, and digestive tract.⁸

Chronic inflammation is involved in neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.¹^,⁹ Changes in thinking, speech, balance, movement, and bodily functions are common with these conditions.⁹

Long-term inflammation also contributes to many types of cancer,⁴ including mesothelioma and kidney, lung, ovarian, colon, prostate, pancreatic, and liver cancer.¹

Possible symptoms

According to Elisabete D. Cruz, ND, LAc, MBMS, of Integrative Personalized Medicine, chronic inflammation looks different from patient to patient. Symptoms vary widely but may include the following¹^,²:

Persistent fatigue or low energy
Muscle and joint pain
Mood changes, depression, or anxiety
Brain fog, poor concentration, and memory issues
Headaches or migraines
Insomnia
Weight loss, weight gain, or difficulty losing weight
Digestive issues (bloating, reflux, diarrhea, constipation)
Hormonal imbalances (PMS, irregular cycles, low libido, menopausal symptoms, sleep disturbances)
Skin issues (eczema, acne, or rashes)
Physical frailty, a common symptom of inflammageing or age-related increases in inflammatory markers⁴

Diagnosis

“Chronic inflammation can be tricky to diagnose because it often doesn’t announce itself with obvious symptoms,” explains Dr. Bonza. “We look at biomarkers like C–reactive protein (CRP), fasting insulin, and sometimes more specialized tests. But I also pay close attention to the clinical picture—fatigue, joint stiffness, brain fog, stubborn weight gain—especially when patients describe feeling ‘off’ without a clear explanation.”

Dr. Cruz takes a similar approach to diagnosing chronic inflammation. Beginning with a comprehensive intake, she reviews each patient’s symptoms, lifestyle, stress, sleep, nutrition, environmental exposures, and past and present medical history. She combines conventional blood tests and functional labs to uncover specific biomarkers:

Inflammatory markers (high sensitivity–CRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ferritin, and homocysteine)²
Toxins, food sensitivities, and allergies
Metabolic and cardiovascular markers
Dysbiosis, pathogens, permeability, and pancreatic function
Hormone and adrenal evaluation (focused on the patient’s gender and age)
Nutrient deficiencies and excess
Immune and autoimmune markers
Thermography and other imaging
Genetic assessments, with more complex cases (e.g., mast cell activation syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and long COVID)

“Often, patients are told their labs are normal,” Dr. Cruz says. “Yet their bodies are signaling ongoing inflammation beneath the surface. We look at each individual’s lab ranges based on medical history, gender, and age in relation to other lab markers to properly assess full-body function. The goal is not just to lower lab markers, but to reduce toxin load [and] restore balance, resilience, and proper immune regulation.”

A root-cause treatment approach

“The goal is not to eliminate inflammation,” notes Dr. Cruz, “but to support healthy acute inflammation while addressing the root causes that lead to long-term, chronic inflammation. We shift the body out of survival mode and into a state of healing, regulation, and long-term wellness.”

Each treatment plan is personalized and phased:

Remove inflammatory triggers
Heal the gut and support detox pathways, especially the liver
Restore nutrient deficiencies
Regulate hormones, high blood sugar, the immune system, and the gut
Support the nervous system and stress response
Targeted nutrition, supplementation, IV therapy, acupuncture, peptides, and lifestyle interventions

Reducing inflammation naturally

Dietary and lifestyle changes, including healthy weight loss, increased physical activity, stress management, and anti-inflammatory diets, are essential in managing inflammation and reducing the risk of related conditions.¹^,²

“Diet plays a significant role in chronic inflammation by either supporting the body’s ability to recover or interfering with it,” says Kat Benson, CSSD, CPT, RDN at VNutrition. “Diets [full of] highly processed foods can displace key nutrients the body needs for tissue repair, immune regulation, and metabolic balance, while also directly increasing inflammatory signaling through blood sugar spikes, oxidative stress, and poor intestinal barrier function.” Over time, she explains, this instability can contribute to a low-grade, chronic inflammatory state.

Healthy foods that douse the fire

A low-glycemic¹ or Mediterranean diet¹⁰ rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats can help reduce inflammation and prevent chronic disease.

There are also standout anti-inflammatory powerhouses:

Other foods that may help regulate inflammation include whole-grain or semi whole–grain wheat, low-fat yogurt, soy products, green tea, turmeric, and cardamom.¹^,¹⁰^,¹¹

“Foods with anti-inflammatory properties are generally nutrient dense and minimally processed,” says Dr. Benson. “The common thread is a focus on whole foods that provide fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats, which help support gut health, regulate blood sugar, and reduce oxidative stress in the body.”

Footnotes

1
Pahwa R, Goyal A, Jialal I. Chronic inflammation. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; August 7, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173
2
Furman D, Campisi J, Verdin E, et al. Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span. Nat Med. 2019;25(12):1822-1832. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-019-0675-0
3
Yacine A, Zain Ali M, Alharbi AB, Qubayl Alanaz H, Saud Alrahili A, Alkhdairi AA. Chronic inflammation: a multidisciplinary analysis of shared pathways in autoimmune, infectious, and degenerative diseases. Cureus. 2025;17(4):e82579. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.82579
4
Ferrucci L, Fabbri E. Inflammageing: chronic inflammation in ageing, cardiovascular disease, and frailty. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018;15(9):505-522. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-018-0064-2
5
Aksentijevich M, Lateef SS, Anzenberg P, Dey AK, Mehta NN. Chronic inflammation, cardiometabolic diseases, and effects of treatment: Psoriasis as a human model. Trends Cardiovasc Med. 2020;30(8):472-478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcm.2019.11.001
6
Kamp K, Dudley-Brown S, Heitkemper M, Wyatt G, Given B. Symptoms among emerging adults with inflammatory bowel disease: a descriptive study. Res Nurs Health. 2020;43(1):48-55. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.21985
7
Šlajūtė E, Vičkačka N, Klėgėris T, Ulozienė I, Balnytė R. Clinical characteristics of early-onset and late-onset multiple sclerosis in patients from Lithuania. Medicina (Kaunas). 2025;61(1):107. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61010107
8
Negrini S, Emmi G, Greco M, et al. Sjögren’s syndrome: a systemic autoimmune disease. Clin Exp Med. 2022;22(1):9-25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10238-021-00728-6
9
Lamptey RNL, Chaulagain B, Trivedi R, Gothwal A, Layek B, Singh J. A review of the common neurodegenerative disorders: current therapeutic approaches and the potential role of nanotherapeutics. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(3):1851. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031851
10
D’Antonio V, Ramal-Sanchez M, Bravo-Trippetta C, Corvaglia E, Serafini M, Angelino D. Unraveling the role of foods on chronic anti- and pro-inflammatory cytokines: a systematic review of chronic dietary intervention trials in humans. Nutrients. 2025;17(17):2834. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17172834
11
Luvián-Morales J, Varela-Castillo FO, Flores-Cisneros L, Cetina-Pérez L, Castro-Eguiluz D. Functional foods modulating inflammation and metabolism in chronic diseases: a systematic review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022;62(16):4371-4392. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.1875189

This article is provided by

The Institute for Natural Medicine, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. INM’s mission is to transform health care in the United States by increasing public awareness of natural medicine and access to naturopathic doctors. Naturopathic medicine, with its person-centered principles and practices, has the potential to reverse the tide of chronic illness overwhelming healthcare systems and to empower people to achieve and maintain optimal lifelong health. INM strives to fulfil this mission through the following initiatives:

Education – Reveal the unique benefits and outcomes of evidence-based natural medicine
Access – Connect patients to licensed naturopathic doctors
Research – Expand quality research on this complex and comprehensive system of medicine

About The Author(s)

Writer

Institute for Natural Medicine Staff

Our team of professional writers brings decades of experience researching and translating complex health information. United by a passion for whole person health and evidence-based natural medicine, contributors deliver trusted insights and practical guidance to inspire healthier living.

Explore Healthy Aging Articles

Explore

Public

Practitioners

Partners