Inflammation gone wild!

The immune system can cause inflammation as a response to signals sent from the endocrine system as well as the nervous system. Under normal situations these signals result in responses from the immune cells traveling throughout the blood stream and responding to leukcocyte levels. However, there are situations in which the body “miss-reads” itself and the immune system overreacts with an inflammatory response.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an example of the inflammatory response that results in negative effects such as joint swelling, stiffness, pain, and a decrease in mobility (Heijnen & Kavelaars, 2005). There is a cyclical pattern with regard to the relationship between the bone destruction and inflammation process in the arthritic joints with the patient’s symptoms of pain and immune response.

The pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis has been related to stressful events that cause inflammation in the joints resulting in pain; however, there is debate as to whether or not severe stressors or mild daily stressors are associated with the pathogenesis of this disease (Potter & Zautra, 1997).

Heijnen, C. J. & Kavelaars, A. (2005). Psychoneuroimmununology and chronic autoimmune diseases: Rheumatoid arthritis. In K. Vedhara & M. Irwin (Eds.). Human psychoneuroimmunology. NY: Oxford University Press.

Potter, P. T. & Zautra, A. J. (1997). Stressful life events’ effects on rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65(2), 319-323.