There are numerous causes of body pain and inflammation. According to the Cleveland Clinic, inflammation causes the recruitment of the body's white blood cells and chemicals to ward off infection and foreign substances, including bacteria and viruses. However, autoimmune diseases cause the body's immune system to trigger an inflammatory response when there are no foreign substances to combat. Along with inflammation, autoimmune diseases may cause pain or discomfort throughout the body.
Gouty Arthritis
Gouty arthritis can cause body pain and inflammation. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, people with gouty arthritis—which involves recurrent bouts of acute inflammatory arthritis—may develop joint deformities and decreased joint ranges of motion, along with joint pain that's present most of the time. Gout is caused by higher-than-normal uric acid levels in the body. A buildup of uric acid in the synovial or joint fluid causes uric acid crystals to form, which in turn causes the affected joint to swell and become inflamed and painful, although not everyone with elevated uric acid levels in the blood has gout, notes the NIH. It's believed that gout—which is more common in males, alcohol drinkers and postmenopausal women—may run in families. It's also known that certain medications can cause elevated uric acid levels in the blood.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, can cause pain and inflammation throughout the body. The Mayo Clinic website states that RA is a chronic inflammatory disorder that typically affects small joints, such as the hands and feet, although it can affect other synovial joints and can even cause fever, fatigue and diffuse inflammation in organs such as the lungs and heart.
RA targets the lining of a person's joints, causing excessive swelling that can lead to permanent bone changes and joint deformity. The Mayo Clinic website reports that RA is more common in women than men by a ratio of two or three to one, and that it typically manifests between the ages of 40 and 60. Common RA-related signs and symptoms include the following: joint pain and swelling, joints that are tender when palpated or touched, red and puffy hands, tissue nodules under the skin on a person's arms, fatigue, morning stiffness, weight loss and fever.
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Polymyalgia rheumatica can cause body pain and inflammation. According to the Merck Manuals website, polymyalgia rheumatica is a syndrome that's associated with giant cell or temporal arteritis—an inflammatory disorder of the large and medium arteries of the head—that can affect adults above the age of 55. It causes extreme pain and stiffness in proximal muscles or extremity muscles that lie closer to the trunk, although it does not cause muscle weakness or wasting. The Merck Manuals website notes that polymyalgia rheumatica is characterized by aching shoulder, back, neck and hip girdle muscles. Associated muscle pain typically is worse in the morning and can occasionally be debilitating, preventing a person from performing his usual activities of daily living. Because polymyalgia rheumatica is associated with temporal arteritis—a possible cause of blindness—a person with it should immediately report headaches, chewing-related muscle pain and visual changes to his physician.
