Inflammation can cause the pain and swelling common with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as damaging your joints and other body parts.

A fairly complex process is going on inside your body when you have rheumatoid arthritis. Your immune system — which usually does a great job fighting germs that want to cause infections — turns its powerful attack on your body. Certain chemicals cause the painful inflammation in your joints. 

The inflammation can harm parts of your body other than just your joints, so if you have rheumatoid arthritis, it's a good idea to understand this process.

What Causes Inflammation?

Some people's genes seem to put them at risk for rheumatoid arthritis. The condition is thought to be triggered by an environmental factor like an infection or exposure to cigarette smoke, says E. William St. Clair, MD, a professor and rheumatoid arthritis expert at the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. But experts still don't know for sure what causes the disease.

One of the main symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is joint inflammation. Each joint has a capsule around it for protection. The lining of the capsule is called the synovium, which is only a few cells thick.

When rheumatoid arthritis kicks into action, chemical messengers, or cytokines called interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), are produced. These chemicals create the inflammation, says Terry Moore, MD, a physician at Saint Louis University Hospital who specializes in rheumatology. In affected joints, the super-thin synovium grows thicker. The joint swells, and the cartilage protecting the ends of the bones in the joints gets damaged, along with the ends of the bones themselves. Some people with rheumatoid arthritis will start developing markers of the disease, such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), which your doctor can look for in a blood test.

How is Inflammation Treated?

Many drugs for rheumatoid arthritis deal with inflammation or specific factors involved in inflammation. These include:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs, such as ibuprofen, reduce pain and inflammation.
• Steroids. Drugs such as prednisone are used for disease flare-ups. They also reduce inflammation.
• DMARDs. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), like methotrexate, work to supress the immune system and slow down RA or prevent it from getting worse.
• Biologics.These drugs are designed to target specific inflammatory components of the immune system. TNF blockers, which include drugs like Enbrel (etanercept), Humira (adalimumab), and Remicade (infliximab), are biologics that work to block an inflammatory protein known as tumor necrosis factor.

How is Inflammation Related to Heart Health?

Another reason you should be aware of inflammation is your heart health. People with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Inflammation plays a major role in the process in which plaque grows in the walls of your arteries. This reduces the flow of blood through the artery. If it's in an artery feeding your heart, plaque can set the stage for a heart attack. Experts think the same events that help cause rheumatoid arthritis also lead to plaque buildup.

That's why it's a good idea to work with your doctor to take steps to reduce your risk of heart disease. This may include lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, if necessary.