Ankylosing Spondylitis

The chronic arthritis affecting the spinal ligaments, muscles and bones is known as the Ankylosing spondylitis. It normally occurs more in men than women of the age group of fifteen to thirty-five.

How does this condition occur,

The sacroiliac joints as well as the spinal ligaments and joints become inflamed which results in low back ache, pain in the buttocks as well as back and neck stiffness.

Ankylosis occurs if the spondylitis is not treated, causing the rigidity of back and neck. In cases of severe ankylosis the rib cage becomes inflexible and stiff.

Ankylosing spondylitis may also cause arthritis of the knees and hips.

Symptoms

Some of the major symptoms of this condition are:

• Back ache
• Stiffness of the back’
• Pain in the buttocks
• Arthritis
• Enthesitis
  As well as
• Fatigue

The back ache due to this condition reduces with exercise. One can feel the back pain for around half an hour in the morning particularly.

The symptoms due to arthritis include joint pain, tenderness of the joint, the affected area being warm and swelling of joints.

Enthesitis happens when there is inflammation of the ligament or tendon joining a bone. Some of the common places for this are end of rib, under your heel, shin bone and behind your heel.

Causes

People with the human leukocyte antigen B27 have more chances of developing the Ankylosing spondylitis. This antigen can be passed on from one person of the family to another. SO if a very close relative like parents or sibling have

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for Ankylosing spondylitis. But the treatment available is to relieve the patient of the symptoms thereby helping the person to lead a normal life.

Certain medications will be prescribed by the general physician for the symptoms after which he well be referred to the rheumatologist for physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy helps the person to find out the best ways of exercising so as to prevent the spine from getting painful and stiff.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to ease the pain and relieve the joint inflammations. But it cannot be administered in case if the person is suffering from peptic ulcer, hypertension, asthma, or heart problems. In such cases painkillers, which may or may not have codeine, like paracetamol will be prescribed.

If one does not find relief with physiotherapy and pain killers the use of tumour necrosis factor blockers will be advised by the doctor.

Biophosphates which are normally used for treating osteoporosis can also be used as injections or tablets.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is used by the physiotherapist for numbing nerve endings of spinal cord which controls the pain.

Complications

• Iritis or uveitis occurs as the eyes become painful and red as well as sensitive to light.
• Osteoporosis, the bones becoming brittle.
• Stroke and heart attack.
• Decreases mobility of spine.
• Spinal fractures
• Compression of nerves at the bottom of spine
• Building up of amyloids in liver, kidneys and heart.