关节炎和炎症的影响NIArthritis.pdfVIP

Arthritis and the Effects of Inflammation 關節炎和炎症對它的影響 According to the American Centers for Disease Control 2003–2005年的研究數據顯示，當時已有四千六百萬成年人 and Prevention’s 2003–2005 data, 46 million U.S. adults have 患有關節炎，而隨著美國人年齡的增長，罹患關節炎的人數也 arthritis, a disease rising dramatically as the U.S. population 在急劇地上昇。而到2030年，美國遭受關節炎折磨的病患預計 ages. By 2030 the arthritis-afflicted U.S. population is expected to reach 67 million. Statistics also show that arthritis is 將會達到六千七百萬人。統計數字同時顯示，關節炎在美國是 America’s leading cause of disability,1 and despite popular 導致病人殘疾的頭號誘因；1 此時一般大眾也普遍認識到，關節 belief, arthritis is no longer a disease common among seniors. 炎已不再僅僅是老年人中常見的一種疾病了。醫生的診斷報告 Doctor-diagnosed reports indicate that the majority of 表明，絕大多數的關節炎患者都在65歲以下。隨著美國人關節 arthritis patients are under age 65. With the rise of arthritis among Americans, it is important to understand its source, 炎發病率的不斷上昇，迫切地要求我們認清此病的起源、後果 consequences and how we can prevent it. 和預防的辦法。 The relationship between inflammation and arthritis Inflammation occurs when our body responds to injury and 炎症和關節炎之間的聯係 infection. Our immune system targets the affected areas and 身體受到損傷和感染時，會引發炎症。屆時我們的免疫系統 destroys bacteria and damaged cells, helping our body to heal 就會在受到炎症影響的部位摧毀病菌和受傷的細胞，以協助我 and recuperate. However, when our body lacks proper care, 們的身體痊癒和康復。然而，當我們的身體未能得到正確的護 treatment and nourishment, its inflammation process switches into chronic mode, unable to turn itself off, resulting in a 理、治療和滋養時，體內的炎症就會逐漸轉變為慢性發炎，很 number of inflammation-inflicted diseases and conditions. 難再自己痊癒，進而導致產生多種由炎症引起的疾病或病症。 Inflammatory responses are supposed to p