Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is an inflammatory arthritis condition that typically impacts sacroiliac joints and spine, with other parts such as eyes, lungs and kidneys also experiencing inflammation as a result.
AS can lead to joint pain and stiffness that worsens with activity or movement, as well as new bone formations that fuse sections of vertebrae together, rendering your spine rigid and increasing the risk of spinal fracture.
Exercises
Exercise can play an essential part in treating Ankylosing Spondylitis. Exercise helps to relieve pain and improve mobility while managing symptoms like stiffness, fatigue and breathing capacity.
Stretching exercises can reduce pain and inflammation by increasing muscle flexibility in and around joints. Stretching exercises also helps maintain range of motion in back and neck regions and prevent stiffness from building up over time.
Strength Training - Strength training exercises can strengthen your core muscles, which in turn can improve posture and make activities more comfortable. They may also help prevent falls - an integral factor to overall health maintenance.
Swimming - Swimming can be especially helpful for people suffering from ankylosing spondylitis as it doesn't put too much strain on the joints and increases heart and lung function, helping reduce pain while improving mood.
Choose an exercise you enjoy and commit to doing it regularly, while consulting your physiotherapist or rheumatologist about which kinds of activities may best fit you.
Diet
People living with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) may discover certain foods cause inflammation and increase pain, so keeping a food diary to monitor how certain items affect symptoms is crucial.
Foods rich in antioxidants can also be an essential way of combatting inflammation - something especially crucial for patients living with AS.
Avoid foods high in saturated fats such as red meat, processed meats and full-fat dairy products; opt for more fish, nuts and whole grains instead.
Dieting to reduce inflammation with fruits, vegetables and legumes can be especially effective. According to research, Mediterranean diet-inspired eating plans are particularly helpful in this regard for people living with AS. Furthermore, heart disease prevention is another major benefit as is weight management - both factors contributing significantly towards relieving pain associated with ankylosing spondylitis.
Lifestyle changes
Ankylosing Spondylitis is an autoimmune condition, so making lifestyle adjustments to manage symptoms effectively is vitally important. These may include making positive choices about diet and exercise as well as making more mindful lifestyle decisions in general.
Physical activities have been proven to alleviate pain and stiffness, improve posture and lower the risk of injury according to the Spondylitis Association of America. They can also help keep weight at an ideal level which in turn alleviates joint discomfort and stiffness.
Some individuals with AS have discovered that eating less starchy food can significantly lower symptoms and even slow its progression, due to Klebsiella bacteria feeding off starch-rich food sources and immune system antibodies creating antibodies to defend against them.
If you want to make healthy dietary changes, consult with your physician first. They will recommend an eating plan consisting of plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains; plus they may recommend supplements for omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and calcium.
Medicines
Not only should lifestyle changes help, but medicines may be necessary to ease the pain and stiffness associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Medicines may help control inflammation while alleviating discomfort.
Your doctor may suggest nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as naproxen sodium or ibuprofen, to alleviate pain, stiffness and swelling associated with AS. These medicines can provide much-needed relief.
Aspirin can be taken orally or injected directly into joints to decrease levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF), an inflammation-inducing chemical.
Anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) medication could be prescribed via injection or tablet depending on how your condition is being managed, making this an arduous decision to make and requiring regular reviews by your healthcare team to assess how well you're responding to therapy.
Interleukin 17 inhibitors (IL-17 inhibitors), another form of biological therapy, may also help. Usually administered through injection or oral consumption, but also given through an intravenous line - these medicines may provide relief for individuals not responding well to traditional anti-inflammatories or anti-TNF medication.
