2006-07-13 15:07:52 · 4 answers · asked by Vig 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Irritation, in biology and physiology, is a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant. Irritants are typically thought of as chemical agents (for example phenol and capsaicin) but mechanical, thermal (heat) and radiative stimuli (for example ultraviolet light or ionising radiations) can also cause irritation.
2006-07-13 15:13:25 · answer #1 · answered by purple 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Everyone is giving nice opinions, but it looks like once again no one bothered to look it up, so the answers so far are full of mistakes.
"Irritation" has nothing to do with cells or cell lining but is a SUBJECTIVE SENSATION of discomfort.
"Inflammation" is an OBJECTIVELY DETERMINED condition defined by five cardinal signs: calor, rubor, tumor, dolor, and function laesa, or warmth, redness, swelling, pain, and impaired function.
The causes of each are myriad, but the essential difference between the two is the subjective vs. objective determination.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflammation
http://www.webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?sourceid=Mozilla-search&va=inflammation
http://www.webster.com/dictionary/irritation
2006-07-14 20:27:39 · answer #2 · answered by hobo_chang_bao 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
inflamation is when thiers a swelling because your lymph nodes the part of your immune system is working. Irritation may redness on your skin or sometimes blisters
2006-07-13 16:12:16 · answer #3 · answered by sash 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well inflammatioin is when something is swollen.
But irritation is like when you poke your eye.
They're really not related much.
2006-07-13 15:11:33 · answer #4 · answered by rachaelx3x3 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋