It is not unusual for symptoms to worsen, get better or stop completely at regular intervals.
I've got a pal whose long retirement has been ruined by one form of arthritic pain or another.
Anything that's caused by inflammation just might be being caused by something your immune system is objecting to. Although it's taken a large part of my life to get like it, I can not touch anything with wheat in it. So, no beer, whisky, all the obvious foods, they are just memories for me. My pal made no serious attempt at dieting, just half-hearted stabs at it now and then. I have another pal who has just had a new knee, and has one finger that's giving real trouble. He too just would not give up beer.
I have a son who aches if he drinks scotch. He just mentioned it in passing one day and I realised I loved a late night tipple of the good stuff. I felt a lot better.
If I cheat, I'll go from being able (a few years ago) to work all day to someone for instance, that can not throw his leg over the saddle of a bike without being stabbed in the hip. It takes much longer to turn off the problem than to cause it to start.
Given how important it is, I'd go down the route of research and LONG trials. The thing about these reactions is that your body doesn't get used to stuff, it just seems to get more and more annoyed.