Pain in the joints can be the result of many factors, many of which are entirely out of our control. Antibodies and their presence in your body can be a result of genetics, environment, or other external factors. Let’s take a look at what antibodies are, their role in joint pain and inflammation, and what you can do about it.
Do antibodies cause inflammation?
One of the hottest topics in arthritis circles right now is antibodies. If you are experiencing joint pain and inflammation, but haven’t been diagnosed with arthritis and feel as though you should be years away from having these symptoms, antibodies may be partly behind the pain you feel.
The almighty Google defines antibodies as follows:
“a blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. Antibodies combine chemically with substances which the body recognizes as alien, such as bacteria, viruses, and foreign substances in the blood.”
So, unlike most science-y terms, antibodies basically refer to what the name might actually suggest — something that is there to fend off the stuff that isn’t part of your body in the first place. They are created by the B-Cells in your body and are intended to bind to an antigen that invades — and the result, while being positive overall, can be painful in the short term.
As the antibodies do their job of protecting your joints from foreign invaders, inflammation can result. And, as we know too well, inflammation can lead to achy joints and uncomfortable, creaky rises from the living room couch.
Antibodies in the joints
A recent report in Science Daily actually found that antibodies can exist in the joints years before a person shows any signs of arthritis. Maybe you’re someone who works on a laptop and feels the strain when you lift your arms away from the keyboard. This might be the repetitive motion of your work, amplified by antibodies doing their thing inside the joints in your arms.
This is why you feel like you’re experiencing arthritis pain when you suspect — or maybe have even been told by a doctor — that you don’t actually have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Antibodies “can represent a general mechanism in autoimmunity and that the results can facilitate the development of new ways of reducing non-inflammatory pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases,” the report concluded.
Unfortunately, this means that a higher percentage of the population knows the perils of joint pain than previously thought.
“We all know that inflammation is painful,” Camilla Svensson, professor at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Karolinska Institutet told Science Daily. “But pain can appear before any sign of inflammation in the joints and can remain a problem after it has healed. Our aim was to find possible mechanisms to explain that.”
Am I going to have this issue?
As much reading as we’ve done on the subject, we still can’t pretend to be a crystal ball. There are many factors that go into whether or not antibodies will cause inflammation in your joints. These range from your activity level to your location, exposure to toxic chemicals or even an illness that your immune system has trouble getting rid of.
According to Lab Tests Online, a common culprit in these cases, ANA or antinuclear antibody, is most prevalent in older people, women, and African Americans. But it is certainly not limited to these groups, and the same article noted that some 32 million people in the United States alone have autoantibodies inside themselves.
Antibodies and inflammation: what you can do about it
Among the things you can control regarding antibodies and inflammation is how well you take care of your joints in the first place. The pain you feel, and your reaction to it, can be impacted by things such as stretching and exercises designed for joint health.
A proper diet is always key, as well, as it keeps your body healthy and functioning properly. Certain things that may not even cross your mind — like sleeping position — can play a factor in joint health. Some people tend to sleep on top of their wrists or other joints, applying pressure to them for the duration of the sleeping period, and over time, this can really add stress.
And of course, you can always opt for an Omega-3 fatty acids supplement to help keep inflammation under control. Omega-3s are critical for proper health of the heart, joints, and organs, and by taking a consistent source of this positive fatty acid, your health will benefit in the long run.
GLX3, made of the purest New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel Oil, New Zealand Olive Oil, and Vitamin E Oil, is a great option for reducing joint pain and inflammation. All you need is one serving per day, and you should see results in as little as 90 days.