![THE ENEMY WITHIN](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/5537/533688/5fa0e33df3dd3/THEENEMY-WITHIN.jpg)
Inflammation is part of a healthy immune response to protect and heal the body. But in recent years, scientists working in a host of different specialties have pinpointed it as a root cause of multiple diseases.
The signs of inflammation – redness, swelling, heat and pain among them – are all too familiar when you have arthritis. In inflammatory types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and in related conditions such as gout and lupus, ongoing, chronic inflammation underlies most of the symptoms and damage.
Even in osteoarthritis (OA), traditionally considered the result of wear and tear, evidence suggests low-grade inflammation spurs joint damage, pain and other symptoms. As OA progresses, ongoing tissue damage and the cellular stress it causes likely feed inflammation in joints, says Carla R. Scanzello, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. “This sustained inflammation may further promote progression of disease, creating a vicious cycle,” she says. (See “Surprising OA Trigger,” page 33.)
The Two Sides of Inflammation
Short-term, acute inflammation is the body’s main protection against infection or injury. When either of these happen, the immune system surges inflammatory defenders into the bloodstream, which carries specialized cells and proteins to parts of the body that need them, killing invading bacteria or viruses, clearing away debris and delivering nutrients that repair injured tissue.
This story is from the Fall/Winter 2020 edition of Arthritis Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Fall/Winter 2020 edition of Arthritis Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![11 Ways to Build Resilience](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0e57d55565/crp_Resilience-Arthritis-Rheumatic-diseases-Chronic-illness.jpg)
11 Ways to Build Resilience
Discover ways to overcome adversity and put a positive spin on any setback.
![Why Timing Matters](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0e100e23f8/crp_Why-Timing-Matters.jpg)
Why Timing Matters
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM MAY INFLUENCE DRUGS’ EFFECTIVENESS.
![THE ENEMY WITHIN](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0e33df3dd3/crp_THEENEMY-WITHIN.jpg)
THE ENEMY WITHIN
UNCONTROLLED INFLAMMATION UNDERLIES MANY CONDITIONS COMMON IN PEOPLE WITH ARTHRITIS. LEARN HOW TO TAMP IT DOWN.
![Power of Positivity](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0ec7359fd5/crp_Power-of-Positivity.jpg)
Power of Positivity
POP STAR PAULA ABDUL’S JOYFUL OUTLOOK KEEPS HER DANCING PAST THE PAIN.
![Men Who Care](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0ea0ed636b/crp_Men-Who-Care.jpg)
Men Who Care
MORE MEN ARE TAKING ON THE TOUGH JOB OF CAREGIVING.
![How to Pick the Right Mattress](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0d9fa2f0e5/crp_How-to-Pick-the-Right-Mattress.jpg)
How to Pick the Right Mattress
IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR SLEEP AND YOUR PAIN.
![A Doctor's Advice](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0db0f2ee45/crp_A-Doctors-Advice.jpg)
A Doctor's Advice
FOR DR. TRAVIS STORK, A SIMPLE TOE INJURY LED TO ARTHRITIS AND BACK SURGERY.
![GOOD (FOR YOU) DEEDS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0e79744d35/crp_GOOD-FOR-YOU-DEEDS.jpg)
GOOD (FOR YOU) DEEDS
HOW HELPING OTHERS HELPS YOU.
![Eating to Ease Gout](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0dfac8f2d8/crp_Eating-to-Ease-Gout.jpg)
Eating to Ease Gout
WATCHING WHAT YOU EAT MAY REDUCE FLARES – UP TO A POINT.
![Bad Isn't Always A Catastrophe](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5537/533688/5fa0eb744c2e1/crp_Bad-Isnt-Always-A-Catastrophe.jpg)
Bad Isn't Always A Catastrophe
EXAGGERATED FEARS MAY HEIGHTEN PAIN.