ankylosing spodylitis

[davidepeden]

has anyone had any contact with ankylosing spodylitis? i have a client who has it, the crumbling of the spine, i have got him to sign a consent form i am also sending a lettter to his doctor.

I was wondering if anyone has had done a case study/ research on this disease and would appreciate any help
thanks

 

[Yadira from LA]

Here's a web page...

http://www.nass.co.uk/

What does ankylosing spondylitis mean?

Ankylosing means fusing together. Spondylitis indicates inflammation of the vertebrae. Both words come from the Greek. So, AS describes the condition by which some or all of the joints and bones of the spine fuse together. Entire fusing of the spine is unusual. Many people will only have partial fusion, sometimes limited to the pelvic bones. - return to top

What exactly is AS?

AS is a painful, progressive, rheumatic disease. It mainly affects the spine but it can also affect other joints, tendons and ligaments. Other areas, such as the eyes, lungs, bowel and heart can also be involved. - return to top

What actually happens?

Inflammation occurs at the site where certain ligaments or tendons attach to bone (enthesis). This is followed by some erosion of bone at the site of the attachment (enthesopathy). As the inflammation subsides, a healing process takes place and new bone develops. Movement becomes restricted where bone replaces the elastic tissue of ligaments or tendons. Repetition of this inflammatory process leads to further bone formation and the individual bones which make up your backbone, the vertebrae, can fuse together. The pelvis is commonly affected first. The lower back, chest wall and neck may also become involved at different times. - return to top

Is ankylosing spondylitis the same as spondylosis?

No. They sound similar but they are different. Spondylosis is a term relating to "wear and tear" and is more common in older people. AS relates to an inflammatory condition which produces new bone and leads to fusion. The vigorous exercise therapy designed for people with AS might be harmful to those suffering from spondylosis. - return to top

Is AS common?

AS affects approximately 1 in 200 men and 1 in 500 women in Britain. - return to top

Who gets AS?

Men, women and children can all suffer from AS. It typically strikes people in their late teens and twenties, with the average age being 24. However, symptoms can start at other periods of life. AS is more common in men, with nearly three times as many men having it as women. - return to top

Is AS different in men, women and children?

Yes. AS tends to affect men, women and children in slightly different ways. Men: The pelvis and spine are most commonly affected. Other joints which may be involved are the chest wall, hips, shoulders and feet. - return to top

Women: Involvement of the spine is generally less severe than in men. The pelvis, hips, knees, wrists and ankles are the most commonly involved. Children: It is unusual for a child under the age of 11 to develop symptoms of AS. The joints which are typically affected first are the knees, ankles, feet, hips and buttocks. They rarely suffer from back pain. In youngsters, AS may lead to persistent hip disease ultimately requiring a hip replacement sometime in adult life. - return to top

What are the symptoms of AS?

Typical symptoms of AS include:

Slow or gradual onset of back pain and stiffness over weeks or months, rather than hours or days.
Early-morning stiffness and pain, wearing off or reducing during the day with exercise.
Persistence for more than three months (as opposed to coming on in short attacks).
Feeling better after exercise and feeling worse after rest.
Weight loss, especially in the early stages.
Fatigue.
Feeling feverish and experiencing night sweats. - return to top
Does AS affect other joints?


Yes. AS sometimes causes aching, pain and swelling in the hips, knees and ankles. Indeed, any joint can be affected. In most cases the pain and swelling will settle down after treatment. It is particularly important to stretch the hip joint to prevent stiffening in a bent position making you lean forward. The heel bone can become particularly troublesome causing pain in two areas. Most common is the under surface, about three centimetres from the back of the foot. This is called plantar fasciitis and

 

[Starry]

I have it,women get it more than the health proffesionals think, I get great support from this site-www.kickas.org Love Ells

 

[danielle w]

My mom had this, well i say had, she still gets it a little bit in her neck,hips and back but thankfully with maximol (Neways mineral solution), diet high in fish oils, and yoga exercise to stretch and manipulate the spine (gentle manipulation that is!) she is much better. it is best to keep the spine moveable, doing gentle exercises that work on manipulation of the discs, inviting energy back into the body through gentle manipulation and stretches can often bring great relief to the sufferer. I am a yoga therapist so if anyone would like some further advice on postures that would help this condition please let me know.

The fish oils i might add are excellent. My mom has found much relief from taking cod liver, omega 3 and a synergy of evening primrose oil.

With love

tammyx
www.alternatively-endo.com

 

[Voistikiphete]

Wow, thanks for all that info. My mum in Aust has AS and has done for years. Unfortunately she is on alot of meds and won't try any nutritional changes which I am sure will help her.

Deva

 

[blogdog123]

I think Petal has just about covered it.

Would just like to add that the description given, presumably be a GP as 'crumbling of the spine' is not only completely misleading, but is essentially wrong - as you'll have just read.

 

[Mursal M]

i'm a physio and have treated as. you want to keep them as mobile as possible. also loads of advice re posture because their spine will eventually fuse so it's best if it fuses in a really good position

 

[foeziuziipiieuekn]

My husband discovered he had this condition about 14 years ago. He discovered this because he had very bad inflamation of his eye which was diagnosed initially as conjunctivitus but wouldn't clear up. He went and saw the eye specialist at our local hospital who told him he had irritus and diagnosed immediately that he had AS. We were shocked because his father had the same condition and he was bent double. The story with his father was that a house fell on him during the war and this caused his condition but when then we realised it was in fact genetic. My husband was in severe pain in his late twenties early thirties but fortunately he kept upright and kept going. Because of this his spine never locked in the curved position. He heard that cod liver oil was good for arthritus so he started to take it and within three months he was pain free. I cannot say that he has never had a twinge since, he has occasionally but on the whole he has been pain free for 30 years. By the way he can drink the oil off a spoon and I think that's probably more potent than the capsules.

 

[Balerie]

Thank you for a very well researched report, Petal. My son has AS now, and I am working to find out as much as I can about this condition. Tomorrow Josh, his mom, and I go to see his MD who has been prescribing NSAIDs for the last 2 years. I think that Josh needs a more aggressive Tx. Is anyone familiar with Etanercept (which seems to have good test results with minimal side effects), Infliximab, or Pamidronate?
Also, does anyone know much about Social Security Disability? It is getting harder for Josh to do his work. His MD says he has many more years of healthy labor ahead of him before...
Please let us know what you have found out or experienced.
Thank you, Mitch, of Lightbringers