Chronic Inflammation, Healing Phases, and How the Body Recovers

Inflammation is often talked about as something to “get rid of.”

That framing misses the point.

Inflammation is not a mistake. It is a biological requirement for healing.

Problems arise not when inflammation occurs, but when it fails to resolve.

Chronic inflammation is increasingly recognised as a key factor influencing pain, healing time, and long-term health. While inflammation is a natural and necessary part of the healing process, ongoing low-grade inflammation can prevent the body from fully repairing and adapting.

Understanding how inflammation works—and how healing unfolds in phases—helps explain why some injuries resolve quickly while others linger for months or years.

Inflammation: the starting signal for healing

Every healing process in the body follows a general sequence.

Inflammation is the body’s protective response to injury, infection, or stress. It involves immune cells, chemical messengers, and increased blood flow designed to remove damaged tissue and initiate repair.

In healthy healing, inflammation is temporary. It rises, does its job, and then resolves.

Problems arise when inflammation does not switch off.

Acute vs chronic inflammation

Acute inflammation

• Short-term

• Occurs after injury or stress

• Essential for healing

Chronic low-grade inflammation

• Persistent and subtle

• Can last months or years

• Interferes with tissue repair and nervous system regulation

Chronic inflammation is not always obvious. Many people experience it as ongoing pain, stiffness, fatigue, brain fog, slow recovery, or fluctuating symptoms rather than clear signs of illness.

Typical indicators and symptoms of inflammation include swelling, fatigue, skin rashes, dry eyes, allergies, digestive issues, sore throat, anxiety, post-nasal drip, brain fog, cravings, weight fluctuations, acne, nausea, headaches, and joint pain.

The phases of healing explained

Phases of healing mirrored in the gradual transition of the moon's journey through shadow and light.

Healing is not a single event—it occurs in overlapping phases. Each phase must progress appropriately for recovery to be complete.

1. Inflammatory phase (hours to days)

This is the body’s immediate response to injury, stress, or threat.

• Increased blood flow

• Immune cell activation

• Removal of damaged tissue and debris

This phase often comes with pain, swelling, stiffness, or heat. While uncomfortable, it is necessary. Suppressing it too aggressively can delay healing. Without it, the body does not receive the signal to repair.

2. Proliferation phase (days to weeks)

Once the initial inflammatory work is done, the body shifts toward rebuilding.

• New tissue and blood vessels form

• Collagen is laid down

• Stability begins to return

If inflammation remains elevated during this phase, tissue repair is slower and less organised.

3. Remodelling and maturation phase (weeks to months)

This is where true recovery happens. Restoring strength and function.

• Tissue adapts to load

• Collagen reorganises

• Movement efficiency improves

• Pain sensitivity should decrease

This phase can last months, even after symptoms feel better.

Many people stop care too early, increasing the risk of recurrence.

Healing does not end when pain disappears.Pain relief is often an early milestone—not the finish line.

Healing time frames: why “it should be healed by now” is misleading

In modern culture, we expect fast recovery. Biologically, healing is slower.

Healing timelines vary depending on tissue type, stress load, sleep quality, and inflammation levels.

Healing requires time and the right conditions

• Muscle strains: several weeks

• Ligaments, tendons, fascia: 8–12+ weeks

• Chronic pain or long-standing dysfunction: months or longer

When inflammation remains elevated—due to lifestyle stressors, metabolic load, or nervous system dysregulation—the body may never fully enter the remodelling phase. Leading to repeated flare-ups or incomplete recovery.

This is where many people get stuck: symptoms fluctuate, relief is temporary, and resilience does not return.

How chronic inflammation interferes with healing

Chronic low-grade inflammation is not dramatic. It is quiet, persistent, and often invisible.

Instead of resolving after an injury or stressor, the immune system stays partially activated in its defense state.

Over time, this interferes with healing by:

• Keeping tissues in a breakdown-dominant state

• Increased pain sensitivity

• Nervous system overactivity

• Reducing tissue adaptability and repair quality

• Increasing fatigue, brain fog, and mood volatility

The issue is rarely the injury alone—it is the healing environment.

Fascia, inflammation, and recovery

Fascia is a connective tissue network that integrates structure, movement, and neurological input. Because it is continuous throughout the body, it is particularly sensitive to systemic inflammation.

Fascia close up

In a healthy state, fascia is hydrated, elastic, and responsive.

Under chronic inflammatory load, it can become:

• Dense or restricted

• More restricted

• Less Elastic

• More reactive to stress and movement

This contributes to stiffness, recurring tension, and the feeling that the body does not “hold” improvements.The feeling that the body “won’t let go,” even with stretching or exercise.

Improving fascial health requires both mechanical input (movement, load, manual care) and biological support (reducing inflammatory load).

What contributes to chronic inflammation?

Healing improves when the body has enough capacity to complete each phase of repair.

This means reducing ongoing inflammatory triggers while supporting recovery.

Core pillars to increase and support capacity include:

• Consistent, appropriate movement to stimulate circulation and tissue adaptation

• Sleep quality and regularity, which strongly influence immune regulation

• Nourishing food patterns that stabilise blood sugar and reduce metabolic stress

• Stress regulation, allowing the nervous system to exit constant threat mode

• Targeted care to support alignment, movement efficiency, and neurological regulation

Addressing inflammation requires a whole-system approach, not a single intervention. Supplements can support this process—but they work best when the foundations are in place.

Supplements and inflammation: support, not shortcuts

Supplements do not replace lifestyle or care. They can, however, support healing when used appropriately alongside lifestyle and care.

Supplements support not replace

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3s support inflammatory balance and cell membrane health.

Benefits may include:

• Support for joint and tissue health

• Assistance with inflammation regulation

• Cardiovascular and neurological support

They are best viewed as baseline support, especially for individuals with low dietary intake or higher inflammatory load.

Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of enzymatic processes and is critical for nervous system regulation.

Benefits may include:

• Better sleep quality

• Supports muscle relaxation

• Helps regulate stress responses

• Supports energy production

Low magnesium status is common in chronically stressed individuals, which can indirectly contribute to ongoing inflammation and delayed recovery.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a regulatory role in immune function, inflammation, and musculoskeletal health.

Benefits may include:

• Supports immune balance

• Assists bone and muscle health

• Influence on inflammatory signalling

Vitamin D status varies widely depending on sun exposure, skin type, and lifestyle. Testing and appropriate dosing are important.

Curcumin (from turmeric)

Curcumin has been studied for its anti-inflammatory effects.

Certain formulations improve absorption, which is critical for effectiveness.

Benefits may include:

• Supports reduction of inflammatory markers

• Support for joint comfort

Absorption matters, and curcumin should be used thoughtfully—particularly for those on medications. Curcumin is best used as an adjunct, particularly during periods of higher inflammatory load.

Healing requires the right conditions

Healing is not linear. The body is designed to heal, but healing requires:

• Reduced inflammatory load

• Adequate recovery time

• Nervous system regulation

• Progressive movement and load

• Consistency over time

Chronic inflammation does not mean the body is broken. It means the body has not been given the conditions it needs to complete the healing process.