Inflammation (Latin, inflamatio, to set on fire)'s the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It's a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue. Inflammation isn't a synonym for infection. Even in cases where inflammation's caused by infection, the two aren't synonymous: infection's caused by an exogenous pathogen, while inflammation's the r… (More on Inflammation)