Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) Massage, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Ca

What is Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), Pronounced, ank-kih-low-sing spon-dill-eye-tiss, or AS, is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, although other joints can become involved.

It causes inflammation of the spinal joints (vertebrae) that can lead to severe, chronic pain and discomfort. Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory disease that, over time, can cause some of the small bones in your spine (vertebrae) to fuse. This fusing makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched-forward posture. If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are two common types of inflammatory rheumatic disease.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has no known specific cause, though genetic factors seem to be involved. In particular, people who have a gene called HLA-B27 are at a greatly increased risk of developing ankylosing spondylitis. However, only some people with the gene develop the condition

Diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). … A thorough physical exam, including X-rays, individual medical history, and a family history of AS, as well as blood work (including a test for HLA-B27), are factors in making a diagnosis.

When ankylosing spondylitis is left untreated, chronic inflammation can ultimately cause the vertebrae in your spine to fuse together. You may have a decreased range of motion. … In some cases, the inflammation can spread to organs such as the bowel or lungs

Can a sedentary job cause ankylosing spondylitis?

Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who worked at more physically-demanding jobs showed a greater progression of Ankylosing spondylitis than did patients who performed more sedentary jobs.

The study’s authors concluded that strenuous physical activity in physically demanding, blue-collar jobs may amplify some of the effects of inflammation on disease progression in AS. They further concluded that this data may support the theory that mechanical stress leads to bone formation in AS.

If further studies confirm this connection, rheumatologists may want to rethink the common recommendation for AS patients to do strenuous exercise, the authors noted.

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Medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — such as naproxen (Naprosyn) and indomethacin (Indocin) are the medications most commonly used. They can relieve your inflammation, pain and stiffness.

However, these medications might cause gastrointestinal bleeding.

COSENTYX^® (secukinumab) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults:

•  
• with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis
• with active psoriatic arthritis
• with active ankylosing spondylitis

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Social Security Disability: If you have a severe case of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) that keeps you from working… you may be eligible to receive monthly disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

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Treatment(s):

Massage – your muscles and other soft tissues are manipulated to relieve pain and improve movement.

Chiropractic ( FORCE) – the bones of the spine should never be manipulated as this can cause injury.

Best Exercises for Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Press Up to Stretch Your Spine. …
• Wall Sit for Better Posture. …
• Plank for a Stronger Core. …
• Try Standing Leg Raises to Loosen Tight Hips. …
• Do Chin Tucks to Stretch Your Neck. …
• Roll Your Shoulders to Loosen Up. …
• Stretch Your Hips to Ease Low Back Pain. …
• Corner Stretch to Open Your Chest.

· Cervical spine surgery in ankylosing spondylitis: is the outcome good?

• Koh WH¹, Garrett SL, Calin A.

·         OBJECTIVE:

• To assess retrospectively, the outcome of cervical spine surgery in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

·         METHODS:

• A cross-sectional study of 3464 patients with identified AS, 19 patients of whom had cervical spine surgery. A self-administered questionnaire (including the use of 10 cm visual analog scales, 0 = none, 10 = worst) assessing the complications of the surgery, patients’ neck symptoms and post-surgery functional ability was sent to the 19 patients. Available case notes and radiographs were reviewed.

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·         RESULTS:

• The mean duration of follow-up was 10 years. One patient had two separate cervical spine operations. The types of surgery performed included cervical fusion (n=7), osteotomy (n=7) and laminectomy (n=6). Six patients had minor complications as a result of surgery. The majority of patients (93%) felt that their surgery had been successful. Most patients (81%) had a reduction in neck pain (mean pain score=3.1, SD 2.8) but increased neck stiffness (mean stiffness score=8.0, SD 2.9). Postoperative radiographs of 7 patients showed complete ankylosis of the cervical spine. Generally, few patients reported difficulty with reading/watching television (6%), sleep (19%), or driving (36%). A third of the patients were still in full-time employment.

·         CONCLUSIONS:

• About 1 in 200 patients with AS undergo cervical spine surgery. The surgery is often successful and complications are usually minor. Neck pain is often better after surgery and any remaining neck symptoms do not significantly affect the patient’s sleep or functional activities. In this retrospective study, the long-term outcome of cervical spine surgery in patients with AS appears to be good.

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·         The Cost of Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Ankylosing Spondylitis is a chronic disorder that will impact you for the rest of your life. According to a study conducted by the National Centers of Biotechnology Information (NCBI), AS can be an expensive condition for one to suffer from. The study confirmed that the cost of treatment increased with the flare-ups or activity of AS in the patients, with the
• average AS sufferer paying out as much as $20,000 to $50,000 for treatment during his or her lifetime.
• Of course, if the condition is so severe that multiple joint replacement procedures are needed, the cost will climb even higher. If you have health insurance, you will have copays, deductibles, and coinsurance, which can run into hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of pocket for treating AS.

Thanks X for the Info!

Further Reading: 

 
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ankylosing-spondylitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354808 

 
https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/ankylosing-spondylitis/ 


 https://www.spondylitis.org/Ankylosing-Spondylitis 

 

 

*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
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