The Association Between Inflammation And Disease

By Chris McCormick

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When the body becomes invaded by microbes or when it is injured, inflammation comes into play. Since inflammation is a response invasion, injury or both, what causes inflammation can be anything that causes harm to the body. A well-controlled inflammatory process indicates a healthy and functioning immune system. However, when the inflammatory process persists despite the lack of stimulus or when it becomes directed against the body’s own cells, it becomes the cause of disease. Most inflammatory diseases can be easily recognized because they end with the suffix "-itis", which means inflammation. Any tissue or organ can be affected by inflammation that has gone awry.

Inflammation and Disease in the Digestive Tract

What causes inflammation in the digestive tract can lead to gastrointestinal diseases. For instance, wheat proteins like gliadin can incite inflammation in certain individuals. When the inflammatory process becomes prolonged and directed against the tissues of the small intestines, symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain, abdominal enlargement, and failure to gain weight appear. This set of symptoms, together with the presence of allergy to gliadin, leads to a diagnosis of celiac disease.

Another digestive system disease that is due to inflammation is called Crohn’s disease. In this disease, all the layers of the bowels become inflamed. Inflammation is caused by the attack of the body’s white blood cells on the bowels. Other inflammatory diseases in the gastrointestinal system include hepatitis, gastroenteritis, cholecystitis or gallbladder inflammation, and ulcerative colitis.

Inflammation and Disease in the Musculoskeletal system

Two of the most common musculoskeletal diseases with underlying inflammation are rheumatoid arthritis and gouty arthritis. In rheumatoid arthritis, the joints are attacked by the body’s own immune cells, leading to the release of inflammatory substances. These inflammatory substaces lead to destruction of the joints, swelling, warmth, stiffness, and limitation of movement.

In gouty arthritis, urate crystals become deposited in the joints, most often at the base of the big toe. These crystals irritate and injure the surrounding structures, thereby stimulating an inflammatory response.

Cardiovascular Diseases Associated with Inflammation

A common cardiovascular disease linked with inflammation is atherosclerosis. In this disease, the immune cells attack the lining or endothelium of the arteries. The resulting inflammation leads to the formation of plaques, which mainly consist of fat, collagen, elastin, and inflammatory cells. As these plaques thicken, the arterial wall also thickens. Stenosis or obstruction of the blood vessel can occur and can result to heart attack or stroke.

Other Diseases Associated with Inflammation

Other diseases which are result from inflammation include acne, allergic rhinitis, asthma. It has been proven that even cancer and diabetes have underlying inflammatory processes. Since almost all infections incite inflammation, their pathophysiologic mechanisms also involve inflammation.

It is important for doctors to find out what causes inflammation because the cause directs the treatment. For instance, in celiac disease, complete avoidance of wheat and wheat products prevents inflammation and treats the disease. However, other inflammatory diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and autoimmune diseases cannot be treated so easily. Many clinical studies are still being done to learn how to control their respective inflammatory processes.