Does your brain feel like it's on fire? Brain inflammation causes and treatments.

If you've ever felt like your brain is on fire, you're not alone. Burning brain is a condition where the brain is inflamed and often leads to reduced brain functions. The most common symptoms of brain inflammation are brain fog, forgetting things, and having trouble focusing.

While most brain inflammation is not a life-threatening condition, chronic inflammation can be very frustrating to deal with as brain function is typically reduced. There are many possible causes, including autoimmune conditions, viral infection, and spinal cord injuries.

What is brain inflammation?

It's a condition where the brain becomes inflamed and can cause a burning feeling in the brain. This burning sensation is often accompanied by brain fog, which can make it difficult to think clearly or focus. Other symptoms include fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. While these symptoms can be extremely debilitating, there are options available that can help reduce inflammation and improve brain function.

There are a few things that can cause brain inflammation. One is an infection. Another is an autoimmune disease or a weakened immune system, where the body attacks itself. And lastly, it can be caused by a traumatic injury or chronic mechanical tension of brain tissue.

What's brain fog?

If you're feeling forgetful, confused, and lacking in focus, you may be experiencing brain fog. It's one of the most common symptoms of brain inflammation, making it difficult for neurons to communicate with each other and leading to a slowdown in brain function.

When your brain cells don't communicate well with each other, it can cause symptoms like confusion, forgetfulness, and a lack of focus and mental clarity. When neurons in the brain cannot communicate efficiently, it's common to experience reduced brain function, memory loss, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, and even hearing loss.

Brain fog can be a serious condition if not properly treated. However, most people can experience a full recovery from the most common symptoms provided they receive a timely diagnosis that identifies the primary cause of the medical conditions and they seek care right away.

What causes brain inflammation?

There are many potential causes, and some of the most common are:

Autoimmune disorders

Autoimmune disorders happen when your body attacks itself. This can happen for various reasons, but it often happens because something triggers your immune system to act differently than it normally would. Chronic brain inflammation is a common symptom of autoimmune disorders that affects brain tissue, specifically the brain's immune cells.

Infections

Infections are one of the most common causes of brain inflammation. This is because infections often lead to inflammation. Viral infections, bacteria, and parasites can all cause infections that lead to brain inflammation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

TBI is a leading cause of brain inflammation. TBI can happen from a blow to the head or from a sudden jolt to the head. Concussions are a type of TBI. TBI can cause a wide range of problems, including:

- physical problems

- cognitive problems

- emotional problems

- social problems

TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe. It can happen to anyone at any age.

Additionally, several other factors can lead to brain inflammation including a decrease in immune cells, increased stress levels, depression, anxiety, seizures, dementia, reduced sleep, and certain medications.

How to treat brain inflammation?

The good news is that most cases of brain inflammation can be treated and brain function restored if you take action quickly.

If it's due to an infection, you'll likely need antibiotics or other medications. If it's from an autoimmune disease, you may need medication to suppress the immune system. And if it's from a traumatic injury, neurological rehabilitation is often needed.

If you think you have brain inflammation, it's important not to ignore it. Seek the help of a doctor who specializes in diagnosing the signs of brain inflammation, identifying the underlying cause, and prescribing personalized care designed to accelerate the healing process.

Recent advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of brain inflammation include these other therapies.

Functional Neurology

Functional neurology can successfully treat brain inflammation. It's a discipline of medicine that uses the nervous system to treat conditions like brain fog. This treatment is based on the understanding that the brain can be rewired to improve symptoms and a patient's overall cognitive function.

Another example of functional neurology helping patients with brain inflammation is by stimulating the autonomic nervous system to improve blood flow to the brain.

Brain Imaging

Another alternative treatment pathway is to utilize brain imaging approaches such as qEEG to assist in diagnosing the source of the problem. qEEG, or quantitative electroencephalography, is a brain mapping technique that measures and records electrical activity in the brain. This information can be used to identify areas of the brain that are not functioning properly. Once the underlying cause is discovered, it can be addressed accordingly.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a treatment that involves breathing oxygen in a chamber with increased atmospheric pressure. HBOT can be an effective treatment for brain inflammation by reducing inflammation and promoting healing.

Cold Laser Therapy

Cold laser therapy is a treatment that uses low-level lasers or light-emitting diodes to stimulate healing. This therapy is proven to help reduce inflammation and promote healing by increasing blood flow.

During cold laser therapy treatments, a low-level laser is directed at the area of your body that needs to heal. Cold laser therapy is generally painless and you may feel a warm or tingling sensation during the treatment.

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback is a sophisticated form of biofeedback that uses real-time brainwave monitoring to help people learn to self-regulate their brains. Backed by decades of scientific research, neurofeedback is a safe, non-invasive method that can help people of all ages improve brain health.

Brain Health Nutrition

There is some evidence that certain nutrients can help reduce brain inflammation. These include omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin (a component of turmeric), and green tea. Adding these nutrients to your diet, especially sufficient essential fatty acids may help reduce symptoms.

Several brain health supplements can help improve brain function, reduce chronic inflammation, and boost immune cells.

Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in your brain, and this damage can lead to inflammation. Controlling your blood sugar levels by eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for your brain health.

Active Meditation

Meditation can be an effective treatment for brain inflammation. Meditation is a practice that involves focusing on your breath and clearing your mind of thoughts. This can help reduce chronic stress and promote relaxation. Meditation can help reduce inflammation in the body.

Yoga

Yoga can be beneficial in reducing inflammation throughout the body, including the brain. In one study, participants who did yoga for 12 weeks had significantly lower levels of inflammation markers than those who didn't do yoga.

Reducing Stress

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to treating brain inflammation, but reducing stress is a good place to start. Stress can worsen the symptoms of brain inflammation and chronic stress is one of the contributing factors to depression, so finding ways to relax and de-stress can be helpful. Some simple things that may help include, taking breaks throughout the day to relax, practicing meditation or mindfulness, and exercising regularly.

How to prevent brain inflammation?

The good news is that brain inflammation is preventable. There are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of developing brain inflammation:

Get regular exercise

Exercise can reduce inflammation throughout the body, including in the brain. It also helps to reduce stress and improve mood, and even moderate exercise can have a positive impact, so aim for 30 minutes per day.

Eat a healthy diet

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation. Foods like salmon, mackerel, tuna, walnuts, and flaxseeds are all excellent sources of sufficient essential fatty acids like omega-3s.

Avoid smoking

Smoking is a major risk factor for brain inflammation, which can lead to conditions such as Dementia and Alzheimer's disease. While the exact mechanisms are not fully known, it is clear that smoking greatly increases the risk of developing these conditions.

Reduce stress

Stress can contribute to inflammation throughout the body, including in the brain. Practicing stress-reduction techniques such as meditation or yoga can help to decrease stress and inflammation.

Get Good Sleep

One of the most important things you can do to prevent brain inflammation is to get enough rest. A good night’s sleep gives your brain a chance to rest and recover from the day’s activities. When you don’t get enough sleep, your brain doesn’t have a chance to recover, and this can lead to inflammation.

To learn more about how to prevent brain inflammation, or if you think you may be at risk, please schedule a free consultation or call us at (828) 708-5274. We'll be happy to chat with you and answer any questions you may have.