| Ankylosing spondylitis is known by many other | | | | spine. Physical therapy compounded by regular |
| names: Bechterew's syndrome, poker back, Marie | | | | breathing exercises is the most common treatment. |
| Struempell disease, rheumatic spondylitis, | | | | If able to, swimming, jogging, Pilates, and slow |
| spondyloarthritis. It is a chronic inflammatory disease | | | | stretching exercises that include yoga, and tai chi are |
| that attacks the spine and the sacroiliac joints, | | | | popularly recommended workouts, as well as proper |
| causing arthritis. This can also cause inflammation of | | | | back exercises. Proper sleeping positions and |
| the eyes, bowels and other joints, and may induce | | | | corrective posture is also common practice in |
| fatigue, weight loss, and photosensitivity. Symptoms | | | | therapy, where most patients are asked to lie face |
| may eventually improve, or grow worse over time. In | | | | down on flat on their back on the floor for certain |
| the latter case, new bones may grow in an attempt | | | | time every week, to maintain flexibility of the spine. |
| to heal the inflammations, causing rigid stiffening of | | | | Other alternatives towards treating ankylosing |
| the joints and spine. While this disease is more | | | | spondylitis also include applying hot compresses or |
| prevalent in men than in women - three times more | | | | heat on affected joints, and acupuncture, all of which |
| men suffer from ankylosing spondylitis than women, | | | | lessens pain and promotes more joint mobility. |
| though women take considerably longer to be | | | | There are medications prescribed to treat ankylosing |
| diagnosed - it can also affect younger people as | | | | spondylitis, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory |
| young as 15 years old and may exhibit some signs at | | | | drugs (NSAIDs), disease-modifying antirheumatic |
| even 10 years of age. As a matter of fact, people | | | | drugs (DMARDs). corticosteroids, and tumor necrosis |
| older than 40 will have a less likely chance of | | | | factor (TNF) blockers. NSAIDs are the most common |
| developing this kind of condition. | | | | drugs used, although DMARDs and TNFs can still be |
| There is no exact known cause on how people | | | | prescribed in cases of severe inflammation of the |
| contract ankylosing spondylitis, although heredity | | | | joints. Corticosteroids may also be prescribed for |
| seems to be the key factor. More specifically, people | | | | joint pain, but are limited due to their side effects. |
| possessing the HLA-B27 gene have an increased | | | | One new medical drug that can also be described is |
| chance of developing ankylosing spondylitis. While only | | | | called biological response modifiers, or BRMs, which |
| 6% of the population carry this gene, it is found in an | | | | blocks certain parts of the immune system that |
| overwhelming 93% of those suffering from AS. | | | | contains cytokines, and has been known to slow |
| When diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, doctors | | | | down ankylosing spondylitis in some patients. BRMs |
| would often recommend their patients to a | | | | however, also consequently decrease the immune |
| rheumatologist. There is currently no cure for | | | | system, and it is advisable to discontinue prescription |
| ankylosing spondylitis, so majority of the suggested | | | | of this drug if infections or fevers occur. For those |
| treatments revolve around lessening pain brought | | | | suffering from severe, more advanced cases of |
| about by symptoms, as well as remedies to prevent | | | | ankylosing spondylitis, may require surgery, commonly |
| deformities cause by the stiffening of the joints and | | | | for total hip joint replacement. |