Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of chronic arthritis that mainly affects the spinal chord. The side effects of this problem are overwhelming, as it can lead to serious swelling ,and stiffness in the back. The patient may also suffer from severe back pain, hip pain, and the like.
Ankylosing spondylitis is known to be more common in men than in women. Sufferers of this problem have to bear consequences such as inflammation of the iritis, breathing problem, stiff chest, and the like.
Unfortunately, this problem does not have a cure. However, it can be controlled and managed so that the condition does not get worse. For that matter, the patients have to follow their doctor’s advice very strictly.
Cause
Scientists have not been able to diagnose a hard core cause for this condition. However, a lot many of them subject it to genes. According to the studies, most of the people who suffer from this condition are born with a gene named HLA-B27. However, that does not mean everyone having this gene suffers from this condition.
Apart from the genetic aspect, other probable cause could be a bacterial infection that leads to the development of ankylosing spondylitis.
Symptoms
Ankylosing spondylitis starts to show its signs during the early ages. It begins in teenage and gets worse with time. According to the studies, as the individual grows the ligaments, joint capsules, and other joints of the spine get inflamed. This inflammation, in turn, makes the spine blend together, restricting the movement of the lower back. Moreover, due to excessive stiffness, the back forms an abnormal outward curvature, leading to a lot of problem. Such stiffening of joints also leads to problem in breathing as the chest wall has difficulty expanding.
Back pain also can be looked upon as one of the biggest symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. It produces several degrees of pain, which gets unbearable if the person is not very active. Physical stimulation makes the pain better.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of this problem is threefold. First, the doctor will ask you questions about your family history with Ankylosing spondylitis. Based on this information, he will ask you to go for a test to detect the presence of HLA-B27 gene.
The doctor will also ask you to go for an X-ray, or MRI, of the joints (sacroiliac), for more accurate diagnosis.
You will then be asked questions related to low back pain, buttock pain, rigidity in the lower back and buttock, and the like. If you have these symptoms for a prolonged period of time, the doctor will be interested to know how these symptoms occur, and also their pattern. Finally, he will come up with a remedy.