Inflammation and Healing

Inflammation is the body's immediate response to damage to its tissues and cells by pathogens, noxious stimuli such as chemicals, or physical injury.

Acute inflammation is a short-term response that usually results in healing: leukocytes (white blood cells) and plasma infiltrate the damaged region, remove the stimulus, and repair the tissue. Healing occurs through a cascade of biochemical events involving the vascular and immune systems and cells within the injured tissue:

When certain chemicals are released during this process into the blood and affected tissues, blood flow is increased to the area of the injury or infection. This may result in redness and warmth. When some of these chemicals cause a leak of fluid into the tissues, swelling results. This process may stimulate nerves and cause pain. Symptoms of inflammation include:

• Redness
• Swelling that is tender and warm to the touch
• Pain and stiffness
• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue / Loss of energy
• Headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle stiffness

Sometimes the inflammation process becomes prolonged or chronic. In this case, a progressive shift in the type of cells present at the site of inflammation causes simultaneous destruction and healing of tissue. This inability to shut off the inflammatory process can be triggered by stress, bacteria, viruses, toxins, high blood-insulin levels, poor diet, obesity, and sleep deprivation. Persistent inflammation is associated with many chronic human conditions and illnesses, including allergy, atherosclerosis, cancer, arthritis and autoimmune diseases.

Chronic inflammation is often the cause of chronic pain. In turn, chronic pain brings about prolonged inflammatory response from the body. This vicious cycle is very difficult to break.

IceWave patches break this cycle in a bilateral manner by:

1) Thwarting the inflammatory response and promoting healing through widespread, prolonged cooling of inflamed areas.

2) Suppressing the transmission of pain signals from inflamed areas and inhibiting the reception of pain signals within the spinal cord.