How long does acute inflammation usually last?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

An inflammatory response resulting from injury is classified as acute inflammation when it lasts only a few days.12

During this period, the body works to localize and eliminate the injurious agent and remove damaged tissue to facilitate healing. While the initial vascular changes, such as vasodilation, may last from 15 minutes to several hours, the overall process of clearing cellular debris by white blood cells typically concludes within this short timeframe. If the inflammatory response persists beyond this duration, it may be categorized as chronic inflammation.123