When the immune system gets activated to abnormal levels, we notice inflammatory diseases.

Certain types of arthritis are caused by inflammation of the wrong regions. Inflammation of the joint is often referred to as arthritis. Not all arthritis can be related to inflammation. Some that are connected to inflammation are:
a. Rheumatoid arthritis
b. Polymyalgia rheumatica
c. Shoulder tendinitis or bursitis
d. Gouty arthritis
Conditions like osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, muscular lower back and neck pain are very painful problems of the joints and muscle, skeletal system but are not related to inflammation.

How to identify inflammatory diseases?

Some common symptoms of this disorder include:
a. Swollen joints that are hot to touch
b. Pain in the joint
c. Non-functioning of joints
d. Red coloration.

Not all of these symptoms are present in all the cases. In many cases inflammation has other characteristics like flu. These could include:
a. Shivering
b. Tiredness
c. High temperature
d. Lack of appetite
e. Muscular stiffness
f. Headache

Reasons for inflammation:

The white blood cells release chemicals into the blood/tissues that are affected, protecting them against foreign elements. This is the main cause of inflammation. When the chemicals are released, blood flow increases and this may cause the redness or warmth. A few of these chemicals could cause swelling by the leakage of some fluids into the tissues. This inflammation could cause the stress and pain.

Consequences of inflammation of joints:

The number of cells in the affected area increases and gets inflamed leading to irritation, deterioration of cartilages and also the swelling of the joint lining.

Diagnosis of inflammatory diseases:

A proper diagnosis can be derived after-
a. Thorough medical exam and checking medical history.
b. Looking at area affected
c. Noticing if there is stiffness of joints in the morning
d. Noting other symptoms
e. Evaluating X-rays and other test results.

Inflammation and internal organs:

Inflammation can have an adverse influence on internal organs and the autoimmune system could be seriously affected. The symptoms vary according to the affected organ. For instance:
a. Shortness of breath or swelling of leg can be caused by heart inflammation or myocarditis.
b. Asthma attack could be triggered off by inflammation of tiny tubes transporting air to lungs.
c. High blood pressure or kidney failure could be the result of inflammation of kidneys or nephritis
d. Cramps or diarrhea could be the result of an inflammation in the large intestine or colitis.
As nerves that cause pain are not present in many organs, pain cannot be deemed to be a primary symptom of inflammatory disease. As far as possible in organ inflammation, the cause of inflammation is treated.

Treatment of inflammatory diseases:

These days a lot of medications are found for reducing swelling, joint pains and inflammation. Some of these may also prevent or reduce the progress of inflammatory diseases. These drugs could be:
a. NSAIDS or Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, e.g.: ibuprofen, asprin, and naproxen.
b. Corticosteroids, e.g. prednisone
c. Anti-malarial drugs, e.g. hydroxychloroquine
d. Others drugs like methotrexate, sulfasalazine, leflunomide, anti-TNF medications, cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate