A Solution To Reducing Inflammation

Research carried out at The University of Manchester has found further evidence that a simple solution, which is already used in IV drips, is an effective treatment for reducing inflammation. The researchers also identified that hypertonic solution, which is a solution with an elevated concentration of salt, can ease inflammation purely through bathing in it - proving the Victorians were right to visit spa towns to "take the waters” for ailments like rheumatoid arthritis. The research team, led by Pablo Pelegrin, was investigating how cell swelling can control inflammation; the immune system's first response to injury or infection. They discovered that white blood cells swell in a similar way to how tissue swells around a wound. The team then went on to look at what causes the swelling. The researchers injected solutions with low ions into mice. They found that these solutions acted as a danger signal, causing cells to swell.