Ankylosing Spondylitis: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment & More

This is some text inside of a div block.

July 28, 2022

min read

This is some text inside of a div block.

views

Home

/

What is Ankylosing Spondylitis?

Ankylosing Spondylitis is a form of arthritis in the spine that can cause stiffness and pain. Apart from the spine, the disease can also affect other joints. The pain usually starts in the lower back and can gradually spreads to neck and other joints. Sometimes severe Ankylosing spondylitis results in the merging of joints which impacts growth and also leads to loss of vision in a few cases. There are no specific types of Ankylosing spondylitis that affect people. It is usually back pain that has aggravated to make the condition worse.

‍Ankylosing Spondylitis Symptoms

‍Most of the time, Ankylosing spondylitis starts off at the point where the spine gets connected with the pelvis. It also affects areas where ligaments and tendons get attached to the bones. This leads to the vertebrae getting fused together. Some of the areas that get stiff are:

Lower back
Buttocks
Shoulders
Rib Cage
Feet
Heels

It shows up initially as:

Long hours of sitting can cause severe pain
Fatigue
Tiredness
Joint Swelling
Breathlessness or trouble while taking deep breaths

These Ankylosing spondylitis symptoms may differ and there is no clear indication that they are the same for everyone. Some of the other complications that can arise due to these conditions are:

In some very rare cases, the spine becomes very weak and it might lead to breakage. There could also be problems controlling bowel and bladder movements for some people.
More than 80% of people who are affected by Ankylosing spondylitis have inflammation in the eyes. This blurs the vision and makes a person sensitive to bright light.
Ankylosing spondylitis also expands the aorta which leads to more blood being lead back into the heart resulting in shortness of breath.

Who is at Risk?

‍Some of the Ankylosing spondylitis risk factors are: It is estimated that men are more likely to develop the condition than women. Also, men get affected at an earlier age than women. Usually, Ankylosing spondylitis starts in men who are in their teens and men in their early adulthood stages. When observed, even before a person turns 30 Ankylosing spondylitis hits and in some, it starts when they are 45.

‍Ankylosing Spondylitis Causes

‍There are really no clear indications of what are the Ankylosing spondylitis causes. Mostly it is linked to the genes. There is a gene called HLA-B27 which is a protein. Doctors believe that it allows the immune system to attack a certain type of bacteria that initiates symptoms of Ankylosing spondylitis.

‍How is Ankylosing Spondylitis diagnosed?

‍Ankylosing spondylitis diagnosis can be very difficult because back pain is very common among many people. In general, a physical examination and blood tests will help to identify Ankylosing spondylitis. Sometimes an Ankylosing spondylitis test might involve taking an x-ray and imaging to check on joint damage. A CT scan and MRI can also help in diagnosing the different stages of this condition. Some of these might not be showing up on the X-ray.

‍How is Ankylosing spondylitis Treated?

‍There is medicine for Ankylosing spondylitis that is helpful for some people in managing the condition. Read on to understand regarding other treatments:

Exercise: Exercises are very helpful to keep yourself active and keep your spine healthy too. Staying active helps in erasing away the pain without using any medicines.
Physiotherapy: Another effective Ankylosing spondylitis cure that is helpful is good posture and how to help tight muscles to stretch. There are also many exercises that can help heal your back.

Ankylosing spondylitis treatment medicines are mostly anti-inflammatory drugs. Therefore, Ankylosing spondylitis doctors or pediatricians may look at a combination of medicines that are made with natural sources. Speak to our experts at Cure.fit regarding treatments for Ankylosing spondylitis cure. You can get expert advice through online or offline and get the right advice to stay healthy.

‍How can Ankylosing spondylitis be prevented?

‍There are very simple methods using which Ankylosing spondylitis prevention can be practiced in everyday life.

Exercising everyday helps in stretching out muscles and it is very helpful for people who have Ankylosing spondylitis to manage the condition.
Healthy weight maintenance is also very important as it does not put much pressure on the back.
Smoking people have it worse with Ankylosing spondylitis. Therefore quitting smoking is very good for overall health and for preventing many complications.
The application of heat can be helpful in treating swollen joints.
Other methods could be massage, meditation, and yoga that can help you feel good and relax.

Top Search Terms For Yoga