What Is Ankylosing Spondylitis?

Ankylosing spondylitis is a progressive inflammatory arthritis, which is chronic and painful, that mainly affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. Other names include Bechterew's disease or Bechterew syndrome and Marie Strümpell or Marie Struempell disease. Ultimately it can cause a gradual fusion of the spine. This process is known as ankylosis.

It is debilitating as patients lose mobility of their spines. Ankylosing spondylitis belongs to the group of "spondyloarthropathies", and it has a probable genetic predisposition. Is usually afflicts men between the ages of 15 to 30 and causes chronic pain and stiffness in the lower spinal area. This is a systemic rheumatic disease as well, which means it can affect tissues all through the body. Bamboo spine refers to the condition where the spine is completely rigid due to complete fusion.

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Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is characterised by an inflammation in the joints in the spine. It belongs to the group called seronegative spondylarthropathies. AS is also known as rheumatoid spondylitis or Marie-Strumpell disease. Apart from the occurrence of inflammation in the joints, AS may involve difficulties in various organs including:

• Eye – iritis
• Heart – Aortic valve disease
• Lungs
• Skin (psoriasis)
• Gastrointestinal tract (small intestine – ileitis, large intestine – colitis)

Research has suggested that there is a genetic significance for the occurrence of this disease. The gene HLA-B27 is supposed to play a crucial role in the development of this disease. The advanced research on genetics found that the people born with this gene are more vulnerable to this disease than normal population.

The symptoms of AS may include –

• Pain in neck, shoulders, knees and ankles.
• Fatigue
• Difficulty in expanding chest
• Low back and hip pain and stiffness
• Duration of symptoms for more than 3 months

The herbal remedies of this disease may include white willow (Salix alba), yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and lobelia (Lobelia inflate). Massage therapy is also found to be beneficial in most of the cases. In allopath, medications like naproxen, indomethacin or salfasalazine (in critical cases) may be used.

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