Ankylosing spondylitis (in international practice - ankylosing spondylitis) is a rheumatic lesion of cartilage, bones, ligaments with the development of subsequently ankylosis. Changes of a pathological nature most often affect the spine, ilium, sacrum.
Causes and signs of the disease
At first, ankylosing spondylitis causes non-specific symptoms, therefore it is often diagnosed late, already in a neglected form, in which any treatment is ineffective. The disease is more susceptible to men up to the age of thirty-five, but women are not immune from the disease. When the pronounced changes in the motor apparatus have already occurred, ankylosing spondylitis also manifests symptoms externally: the shoulders lower, the back flexes, the chest cascades, and the legs bend slightly at the knees. The reasons for the development of this condition have not been identified so far. The genetic nature of the pathology is noted, since the vast majority of patients have the same antigen, which is not so common in humans. It generates an increased sensitivity of the body to infectious agents that can cause inflammation in the connective and cartilage tissues.
Severe symptoms
Ankylosing spondylitis symptoms cause the following: arthritis, pain in the lower back and sacrum, radiating to the back of the thigh. Sometimes the only initial sign of the pathological process, especially in young girls and boys, is pain in the calcaneus or Achilles tendon. In some cases, ankylosing spondylitis manifests itself in the form of inflammation of the eyes. In general, the ailment is symptomatically similar to osteochondrosis. But there are two significant differences. With osteochondrosis, you can effortlessly tilt the body to the sides without taking your feet off the floor. In the case of ankylosing spondylitis, you will not be able to do this. Another difference is that after taking NSAIDs in the first hours, the pain will disappear. These very simple diagnostic techniques will allow you to suspect even before the appearance of pronounced signs of ankylosing spondylitis.
Diagnosis of the disease
It is based on the presence of such symptoms:
- persistent stiffness of the spine in its lower part for three months;
- pains in the pelvic bones, sacrum, lower back, present at rest and ceasing with movement;
- limited mobility of the sternum, ribs, which affects the depth of breathing;
- inflammation in the sacroiliac joints.
As a result, a person’s posture changes, mobility decreases, development of persistent kyphosis occurs, and the pelvis thickens. Sometimes large joints (hip, knee) are involved in the pathological process, their arthrosis occurs with the subsequent development of ankylosis.
In women, the course of the disease has certain features. Typically, the joints of the shoulders, hands and feet initially suffer, and polyarthritis develops. Large joints are affected asymmetrically, inflammation has medium or even low activity, pain is characterized by moderation. Pathological changes in most cases occur in the thoracic spine, complete ankylosis occurs extremely rarely.
Treatment
Therapy is carried out for life by taking NSAIDs, physiotherapy, massage. If ankylosing spondylitis is diagnosed at an advanced stage, disability is almost inevitable.