Inflammation

Friend or foe?

By Annette Beach

When most of us hear the word, “inflammation,” we relate it to the symptoms of pain, swelling, redness and warmth, then cringe because of past experiences. To many, especially those diagnosed with a form of arthritis, inflammation means down time and immobility (rightfully so). Rarely do we think of it as a good thing.

Inflammation is a normal process, which protects our bodies from infection and foreign substances. It’s the body’s immune response to irritation, injury or trauma. A sequence of cellular and chemical events designed to protect, not harm.

During the inflammation process, white blood cells exit the blood vessels and enter the tissue to release chemicals and begin tissue repair. These white blood cells are called, phagocytes. Phagocytes protect the body by engulfing foreign substances and are essential for fighting infection. Their job is basically to eat or devour the bad.

However, in autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, the immune system gets confused. It triggers an inflammatory response by sending an army of white blood cells when a foreign substance does not exist causing the body to react in the manner described above. The difference is (since there is nothing wrong) the body attacks and harms it’s own tissue. When the tissue swells and becomes inflamed, the damaged area calls out to the immune system, attracting even more white blood cells to the site.

Arthritis literally means inflammation of the joint. Inflammatory forms of arthritis can cause the lining of the joint to swell and thicken, as well as damage to the joint cartilage and narrowing of the joint space.

Since arthritis is often associated with joints, the severity of inflammatory diseases is commonly misunderstood. Inflammation can also affect the muscles (known as bursitis) and tendons (known as tendonitis).

One of the biggest misconceptions about arthritis and inflammatory diseases is the affect it has on organs. This can be serious, and in some cases, fatal.

People are always surprised when they hear the extent of my medical history, the severity of my RA, the number of reconstructed and replaced body parts, as well as the secondary illnesses. But when I tell them, “I have arthritis in my heart” and have been treated with medication for more than a decade, they are shocked!

How well do the people around you understand the seriousness of arthritis and inflammatory diseases? Do they think of inflammation as minor swelling that will reduce if elevated and/or iced? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could simply instruct our bodies to stop attacking the good tissue? Share your thoughts.