Ankylosing Spondylitis: Frequently Asked Questions

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is one of many forms of chronic inflammatory and degenerative arthritis, affecting the spine, in which patient may have painfulness of spine, stiffness and restricted mobility of the back.

AS affects the joints between the vertebrae of the spine and the joint between the spine and the pelvis (sacro-iliac joint). It may also affect other joints of the body such as shoulders, knees, hips, etc. It may affect eyes and respiratory organs in some patients.

Every patient with AS should make a note of the following:

• AS is a relatively difficult condition and it requires long term or may be life long treatment
• There is a treatment for it and the disease can be kept under very good control
• AS is a cause of back pain in adolescents and young adults
• Tendency to develop AS is genetically inherited
• The HLA-B27 gene can be detected in the blood of most (but not all) patients with AS
• AS can also affect eyes, heart, lungs, and occasionally the kidneys

HLA-B27 is a perfectly normal gene found in 8% of the general population. The gene itself does not cause spondylitis, but people with HLA-B27 are more susceptible to getting spondylitis.

The exact cause of AS is not understood. It is an autoimmune disease (like many others such as Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Thyroiditis, etc). Genetic factors are likely to be involved.

The joints are initially inflamed and this may be followed by progressive stiffness and inflexibility. It eventually leads to the fusion of the spine, giving permanent painful stiffness of the back. It is often called bamboo spine, as the spine tends get stiff like a bamboo. In the background, there are immunological factors which play a role for such inflammatory changes.

These include: painful stiffness of the lower back and hips which is often worse in the morning or after periods of inactivity. Over a period of time, the pain and stiffness may progress up the spine and to other joints such as hips, shoulders, knees and feet. Reduced mobility may be noted by the patient and gradually he may notice difficulty in bending the spine. Features such as loss of appetite, fatigue, weight-loss, inflammation of the eyes (iritis) and of bowels.

• X-Ray of lumbosacral spine
• HLA-B27 (blood test)
• MRI spine
• RA test (blood), ANA test (blood) to rule out Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Routine blood test (CBE, ESR)
• Please click here diagnosis of AS to read more

Mild, moderate or severe disability is experienced by most patients of AS, depending on the stage of disease. The severity of AS varies greatly from person to person, and not everyone will experience the most serious complications or have spinal fusion (stiffness of spine). If well managed, it is likely that ones AS remains under control.

Yes. For more information on AS, you can refer to our exclusive website: Cervical Spondylitis

The conventional treatment of AS consists of

1) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's): They do not modify the course of the disease but just help in pain relief
2) Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD's) such as Methotrexate and Cyclosporine.
Read about the adverse effects of Methotrexate
3) Biological agents (Etanercept, Infliximab) these are Anti-TNF agents
4) Systematic corticosteroids are effective in the acute pain relief, but have potential long term side effects

These medicines basically act as Immunosuppressant.

5) Physical therapy is of invaluable importance
6) Reconstructive surgery is required in selective cases with end stage joint destruction

Patients are also evaluated for symptoms and signs of other related spondyloarthropathies, such as psoriasis, venereal disease or dysentery (reactive arthritis or Reiter's disease), and inflammatory bowel disease (Ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease).

Please click here to read more

If a family member has AS and you test positive for the HLA-B27 gene, your chance of getting the disease increases to 20%, if you are under age 40. If you are over 40, your chance of developing AS is very low.

If you have AS, the likelihood of passing it on to your children is relatively low. There is approximately a 50% chance that the child of one HLA-B27+ parent will inherit the gene, but only a small percentage of those will develop AS.

Male aged less than 40 years, HLAB27 + gene (2 %), family history of AS.

Homeopathy is an alternative medicine originated in Germany. It works wonders for chronic diseases including AS.

AS is a deep seated immunological disease, which requires treatment at a deeper level. The conventional treatment alone is not enough in most cases. Added homeopathic medication is strongly suggested for better control and long term management in terms of:

• Long term pain relief
• Improved mobility
• Reducing dependency on other medicines

Yes. In fact, most cases of AS who are on the conventional therapy are likely to require homeopathic medication.

No. Homeopathic medicines can be safely taken with the conventional medicines.

No. You can continue all other medicines for other diseases if you start with homeopathy. Homeopathy does not adversely interact with the conventional medicines.

Depending on the extent and severity of ones AS, one may observe some improvement in about six to eight weeks. However, the course of treatment takes over year to have better control over the disease.

Yes. Physical treatment through appropriate exercises for improving mobility and joint pain provide lasting relief. Physical therapy and exercise, along with medication, are the mainstay of therapy.

To start with, your conventional medicines may need to be continued. Over the period of time, it is expected that you are able to reduce and also (possibly) stop other medicines, once you respond positively to homeopathic treatment.

At Life Force, we have treated and documented over 100 cases of AS with significant success rate. Based on this experience and success, we recommended homeopathy during every stage of AS; earlier the better.

The length of treatment depends on the factors such extent, stage and severity of the joint pain. Most patients are treated for one to two years or more.

For other Online Treatment related Frequently Asked Questions, please click here.