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Friday, March 23, 2018

Ankylosing Spondylitis

What is ankylosing spondylitis? 
This is a type of persistent inflammation of the sacroiliac joints and the spinal cord. These joints are normally found in the lower part of your back. This is where the bone above the tailbone and the iliac bone intersect. The inflammation of these bones causes intense pain and stiffness in the spinal cord and the areas surrounding it. This includes the lower and middle back, the neck and buttocks. Gradual inflammation can cause the fusion of the vertebrae and eventual immobility of the spine thus leading to Ankylosing spondylitis.

This is also a systemic disease which can affect body tissues. It can lead to the tenderness of other joints and manifest itself as arthritis. It can also affect other body organs like the heart, eyes, mouth among others. It is related to other forms of arthritis which lead to inflammation of the spine and joints. Ankylosing spondylitis is a rheumatic disease as it mainly affects muscles and joints in your body.

It is most common in men than women. If you are a woman, the joints located further from the spine are affected often in comparison to men. This disease will affect people in all age groups even children. If your child is affected, then it will be referred to as juvenile ankylosing spondylitis. The onset stages of this disease are the twenties and thirties. This disease is also known as Bechterew’s disease or by abbreviation, AS.

What are signs and symptoms of Ankylosing spondylitis
If you show the following signs and symptoms, you might need to get checked for ankylosing spondylitis. If your neck or feels pain and is stiff, or if you experience pain in your lower back, hips, and buttocks for a period longer than three months, you may be suffering from ankylosing spondylitis. It will usually begin around your sacroiliac joints at the point of intersection of your lower spine and the pelvic bone of the lower back.

If you have an overgrowth of your bones, you may develop an unusual unification of bones referred to a bony fusion. This may interfere with your ability to perform daily tasks and routines as it will affect mainly your neck, hips, and backbones. If the unification of the bones affects the breastbone or the ribs, it will cause you difficulties in attempts to take deep breaths.

You may also experience ligament and tendons pain. These tendons and ligaments are attached to bones. Inflammation of these will cause you to feel pain in the area you use to step on the ground. (the area behind your heel)  and at the rear of your ankles.
You may also experience high fever, fatigue and general body sluggishness, redness and pain in the eyes, loss of appetite and rarely, heart and lung problems. You may also develop anemia, low iron and progressive loss of body weight.

What causes ankylosing spondylitis?
There is no known cause of ankylosing spondylitis yet. However, it tends to be running in families. This means that it could be genetically transferred. Therefore, if anyone in your family has the disorder, you are also likely to develop the disease in comparison with someone whose family does not have this history.

How is Ankylosing spondylitis diagnosed?
You may see a rheumatologist for diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis. This is a doctor who specializes in arthritis-related diseases. You will have to undergo a comprehensive physical examination as the doctor asks you about your signs and symptoms and your medical history.

A spine or joint X-ray will be required to help establish if there is any attrition. If you are in the early stages of this disease, your tests may not show the erosion. An erythrocyte test might be conducted to test the presence of tenderness in the affected areas. An HLA-B test will be done only to confirm if you have a gene that produces the protein that may lead to the development of ankylosing spondylitis.

What are the risk factors of Ankylosing spondylitis?
Among the factors that may increase your risk of developing this disease is; being in the age bracket of twenty to forty years. If you are a man, this also places you in danger of developing this disease as it occurs more in men than women. If you have had a case of ankylosing spondylitis in your family, your chances of getting the disease are also increased.

What are the precaution and prevention measures of Ankylosing spondylitis
To take precaution against something especially a disease is better than treating and curing it. Thus, the prevention measures you may employ for this disease include; preventing yourself from being disabled by maintaining body activeness. You can also focus on healthy eating and maintenance of standard body mass.

How is Ankylosing spondylitis treated?
As there is no known cure for this disease, the treatment you receive if basically for management of pain and other symptoms you may be having.

The anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen and ibuprofen are the commonest prescriptions you will be given to help In the management of your symptoms although if they do not give you enough relief from pain, you will be given stronger pain medication.

You are encouraged to be involved in daily exercise activities as they aid you in maintaining elasticity and motion. A prescription of physical therapy may come in handy in this case. You should practice good posture since it helps in the prevention of spine deformity that could come later in life.

Applying hot or cold compresses to the joints affected by stiffness reduces pain and swelling respectfully. If the ankylosing spondylitis is severe, correctional surgery may be done on the affected areas of the spine or joints. This happens mostly in cases of bone infusion or severe deformity.

Homeopathy comes in handy in the management of this disease as it assists in controlling it through the administration of medication. Acupuncture is also another known treatment for this disease as it helps in pain reduction in some people. It will be performed by a trained and experienced physician through disposable and sterilized needles. Psychotherapy is recommended as it will help you through use of conversations by words. This helps you to deal with problems effectively with the aim of finding solutions to them. It also helps you deal with trauma experienced through the management of the disease.

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