Fire in the Brain: Preventing Neuroinflammation Early
- Dr. Howard A. Friedman MD, founder of HHOM LLC
- Aug 21
- 5 min read
7-19-2025
By Dr. Howard Friedman MD | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps | Internal Medicine | HHOM LLC
A spark unseen behind the eyes—
Not thunder loud, but subtle lies.
A word forgotten, mood gone strange,
The heat begins to slowly change.
Before the burn becomes the pain,
Let’s name the fire inside the brain.
—Dr. Howard Friedman, MD
The Brain Doesn’t Always Scream
They don’t teach this in medical school: that the brain can burn without fever, that suffering can smolder behind a polite smile or a clean MRI. We're trained to detect loud pathology—seizures, strokes, tumors—but much of the damage I’ve seen in both veterans and civilians doesn’t start with a bang. It starts with a whisper: a little more fatigue, a shorter fuse, a fog that doesn’t lift.
This blog is about that whisper. It’s about the fire in the brain—a phenomenon known as neuroinflammation. And if we don’t talk about it, we’ll miss it.
Veterans are especially vulnerable. Chronic stress, poor sleep, toxic exposures, traumatic brain injuries—each one adds fuel to the fire. Yet far too often, these symptoms are chalked up to anxiety or depression. Medications are prescribed, rest is suggested, and the inflammation is left to deepen. Over time, neural connections weaken, and the person who once was begins to fade.
This blog isn’t about fear. It’s about prevention. About recognizing the smoke before the blaze. Because if we can identify neuroinflammation early, we can intervene—before it evolves into cognitive decline, mood instability, or neurodegenerative disease.
What Is Neuroinflammation?
Most of us recognize inflammation when it’s visible redness, swelling, heat. But in the brain, inflammation hides. There’s no limp, no rash, no fever. Instead, there’s a shift: in energy, in memory, in identity.
Neuroinflammation occurs when the brain’s immune system misfires or stays activated too long. Specialized brain cells—microglia—release chemical messengers like cytokines in response to stress, trauma, or toxins. At first, this can be protective. But when the fire doesn’t stop, it becomes corrosive.
Over time, neuroinflammation can impair memory, fuel depression, worsen PTSD, and lay the groundwork for degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. I’ve seen it firsthand—after seemingly minor concussions, long after burn pit exposure, in veterans who just say, “I don’t feel like myself anymore.”
Most don’t even know it’s happening. They're mislabeled, misdiagnosed, medicated—without ever hearing the term neuroinflammation.
It’s time we name it. Because when we understand what’s happening, we gain the power to prevent what’s coming.
Early Warning Signs
If neuroinflammation is a fire, then let’s name the kindling. Many of us carry silent triggers—day after day—without realizing the toll. If you’ve read my other blogs, you know inflammation underlies much of modern illness. If the body were a car, inflammation clogs the fuel lines, drains the battery, and warps the frame. Unfortunately, when people bring that car to the doctor, it’s often rushed through the shop.
Preventative health means becoming your own mechanic.
Chronic Stress
Stress is inflammatory. When the nervous system is locked in fight-or-flight, cortisol levels stay elevated. Over time, this weakens the blood-brain barrier, allowing toxins and immune cells to seep in. The result? A brain on edge that struggles to think clearly. The HPA axis—hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal—regulates this process. When it’s overworked, the fire smolders.
Poor Sleep
Sleep is when the brain takes out the trash. The glymphatic system clears metabolic waste, but disrupted or fragmented sleep stalls that cleanup crew. Veterans with circadian disruption, nightmares, or apnea are at heightened risk. You know when you haven’t slept well—and so does your brain.
Environmental Toxins
Toxins don’t always wear warning labels. From pesticides to pollution to burn pit exposure, dangerous particles can travel from lungs to brain. Even domestic exposures—mold, heavy metals, poor air quality—can ignite the same inflammation. Think of first responder’s post-9/11, or Californians exposed to fire-retardant chemicals. Sometimes we can’t avoid the exposure—but we must recognize its cost.
Gut-Brain Axis Disruption
We’ve discussed the gut microbiome in other blogs—it’s vital. When disrupted by diet, infection, or medications, it can activate systemic inflammation. And the gut and brain share a highway. A leaky gut leaks into the brain. Microglial activation doesn’t start in the head—but it ends there. If your gut is the engine, make sure you’re not leaking oil.
Past Trauma and TBIs
The brain is so vital it’s encased in a skull. A concussion is that brain bouncing into bone. Even mild TBIs can disrupt neurochemistry and spark inflammation. Add emotional trauma or PTSD, and the risk compounds. We don’t yet know the exact trauma threshold, but we know this: the brain can take only so much.
Nutritional Deficiencies
The brain runs on more than calories. Omega-3s, B vitamins, magnesium, antioxidants—they’re not optional. Without them, the brain can’t repair. Add dehydration and inflammatory diets filled with sugar and processed foods, and you’ve got a recipe for dysfunction.
What You Can Do: Prevention and Healing
You don’t need a prescription to start protecting your brain. Practical steps for neuroinflammation prevention can begin today—through diet, sleep, movement, and stress management.”
Anti-inflammatory diet: Fewer ingredients, fewer additives, more real food. Omega-3s, B-complex vitamins, and fiber-rich foods are key.
Move daily: Exercise reduces inflammation—but don’t overdo it. A walk is enough to calm the fire.
Prioritize sleep: Sleep isn’t optional; it’s essential. Aim for uninterrupted blocs to allow full cycles, especially deep sleep and REM.
Mind-body practices: Meditation, breathwork, EMDR, journaling—pick one and stick with it.
Find purpose: A sense of meaning isn’t abstract—it’s neuroprotective.
What the VA Often Misses
Neuroinflammation is real, yet the VA often chalks it up to “psychiatric” issues. There’s no standard screening for microglial activation or neurotransmitter imbalance. The solution? Pills that manage symptoms but ignore the flame.
So yes—it may be “in your head.” But that doesn’t make it imaginary. It makes it urgent.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Wait for Smoke
Homes have smoke detectors. Brains don’t. Veterans too often wait until the fire is raging. But wisdom acts early.
Healing doesn’t require a siren. It starts with a step. The earlier we commit to neuroinflammation
Protect your brain. Learn the signs. Take action before the damage writes its name in code.
Thank you for reading. For more insights, explore our library of blogs on veteran health, inflammation, and preventative care at www.hhomllc.com.
—Dr. Howard Friedman MD
Board-Certified | Internal Medicine | Veteran | U.S. Army Medical Corps
Founder of Howard’s House of Medicine (HHOM LLC)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How can I tell if what I’m experiencing is neuroinflammation and not just stress or fatigue?
A: The difference is in persistence and accumulation. Stress or tiredness usually improves with rest, but neuroinflammation lingers and subtly erodes function. If you notice ongoing brain fog, irritability, or memory changes despite getting adequate sleep and self-care, it may be more than stress—it may be the brain’s immune system stuck in overdrive.
Q: What are the biggest everyday risks for veterans when it comes to neuroinflammation?
A: Veterans often carry multiple risk factors at once: disrupted sleep from PTSD or apnea, toxic exposures like burn pits, past head injuries, and chronic stress. Each one fuels the fire; together, they compound risk. That’s why veterans are particularly vulnerable to early neuroinflammation, often long before a scan shows visible damage.
Q: What can I do today to start lowering my risk of neuroinflammation?
A: You don’t need a prescription to protect your brain. Small daily steps—prioritizing uninterrupted sleep, eating whole anti-inflammatory foods, moving your body, and practicing stress-reducing techniques like breathwork or meditation—help extinguish sparks before they become flames. And most importantly, find a sense of purpose; it’s not just psychological, it’s biologically protective.
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