Can diet alone control inflammation? A comprehensive narrative review of dietary foods and supplements and their effects on inflammation and pain.

Abstract

In most cases, the development of pain is due to an inflammatory etiology, regardless of the underlying etiology. There is a clear understanding of the inflammatory pathways in which there is a role for anti-inflammatory medications to alleviate the inflammation leading to pain relief. The use of prescription and non-prescription Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) is still thought to be the first line treatment in treating pain arising from an inflammatory etiology. However, long-term usages of NSAIDs have safety concerns which often limit their use for chronic painful conditions. Understanding the inflammatory pathway, potentially dangerous side effects of NSAIDs and commonly used anti-inflammatory supplements may offer a safer and more effective, alternative treatment for an anti-inflammatory pain relief. This article is a narrative review of the current literature as such it lacks quantitative data synthesis and is not intended to be a systematic review. Further high quality randomized controlled trials are needed to substantiate the long term safety and efficacy of dietary foods and supplements on decreasing inflammation and pain.