Inflammation: A basic way in which the body reacts to infection , irritation or other injury, the key feature being redness, warmth, swelling and pain . Inflammation is now recognized as a type of nonspecific immune response.

 

Related Words

Inflammation: A reaction to the invasion of microorganisms through the skin or through the epithelial layers of the respiratory, digestive, or urinary system; characterized by four signs: redness, swellin . . . View Full Definition

Abscess: A localized inflammation due to a collection of pus in the bone or soft tissue, usually caused by an infection.

Typhoid Fever: An infectious, often-fatal disease, usually occurring in the summer months--characterized by intestinal inflammation and ulceration. The name came from the disease's similarity to typhus (see below).

Dry Socket: A localized inflammation of the tooth socket following an extraction due to infection or loss of a blood clot

Gingivitis: An inflammation or infection of the gingiva (gum tissue): the initial stage of gum disease.

Quinsy: An acute inflammation of the tonsils, often leading to an abscess

Pleurisy: Inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the chest cavity. Symptoms are chills, fever, dry cough, and pain in the affected side (a stitch).

Boil: An abscess of skin or painful inflammation of the skin or a hair follicle usually caused by a staphylococcal infection.

Catarrh: Inflammation of a mucous membrane, especially of the air passages of the head and throat, with a free discharge. Bronchial catarrh was bronchitis; suffocative catarrh was croup; urethral cat . . . View Full Definition

Dysentery: A term given to a number of disorders marked by inflammation of the intestines (especially of the colon). There are two specific varieties. (1) amebic dysentery (2) bacillary dysentery