Inflammation

Start with the signs and responses

A general inflammation mind map is a useful place to begin. It covers the cardinal signs, including heat, redness, swelling, pain and loss of function, alongside changes in vascular permeability. Use it to organize the main features before looking more closely at individual responses.

The introductory inflammation flashcards offer another way to work through the topic. They include questions about what inflammation is, its exogenous and endogenous causes, signs and mechanisms. Go through the prompts after the map and return to any points you want to study again.

Explore acute inflammation

For a closer look at acute inflammation, use the mind map covering inflammatory mediators, their effects and changes in vascular responses. The map on burns and acute inflammation brings that topic together with skin layers and function, burn management, apoptosis versus necrosis, and signs of wound infection.

The Acute Phase Reactant mind map focuses on substances in the blood that increase in response to acute conditions. It gives you another point of entry into the acute response after you have looked at the general signs.

Combine maps, flashcards and a quiz

After studying a map, try the quiz on the vascular response in acute inflammation. Its listed material includes the cardinal signs, so you can use it to check your recall of those signs. Then return to the map to review the points you want to revisit.

The inflammation flashcards on inflammatory cells and reactions cover neutrophils, granuloma, pus, leukocytosis and acute phase proteins. They offer a way to practice terminology alongside the visual structure of the maps.

Study within the unit

Inflammation is a section of General Pathology and Pathophysiology in Internal medicine, pathology and clinical semiology. The resources on this page offer several ways to study that section, from broad outlines to focused recall. Choose a resource that fits where you want to begin.