Final answer:
The signs of swelling, redness, heat, pain at rest, and loss of function define the stage of inflammation, the body's response to injury or infection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cardinal Signs of Inflammation
The stage these signs point to is inflammation. These symptoms are redness, swelling, heat, pain at rest, and loss of function. They are reactive changes that occur in the presence of injured or infected tissue. Inflammation is the body's innate response, involving increased blood flow to the affected area to facilitate healing. While redness, heat, swelling, and pain have been known since antiquity, the loss of function is now considered a fifth cardinal sign of inflammation, indicating the impairment of tissue due to the inflammatory response. For example, conditions like tendinitis can manifest these symptoms and would be managed with interventions to reduce inflammation and facilitate healing.