Ankylosing Spondylitis Essay

● What disorder did you choose to write about?
• I chose to write about a disorder called Ankylosing Spondylitis. Arthritis of the hips and spine is caused by a chronic inflammatory disease known as Ankylosing Spondylitis. This disorder typically begins in the second and third decade and typically occurs in men.
● Which part of the axial skeleton does this disorder affect?
• Ankylosing spondylitis affects different parts of the axial skeleton such as your hips (where the spine joins the pelvis) and spine. Other joints can be affected by ankylosing spondylitis like your knees. Inflammation of the lungs, heart valves, and eyes is also a cause of ankylosing spondylitis.
● What are the symptoms of this disorder?
• Symptoms can vary from mild to severe depending on the individual. Some common symptoms for ankylosing spondylitis include pain and stiffening of the lower back and the sacroiliac (the joint where the hip and back meet). This pain and stiffening can possibly radiate down your legs, while the stiffness worsens in the morning and the pain often worsens at night. People with ankylosing spondylitis may experience stiffness and pain in some other joints like your upper back, rib cage, knees, shoulders, neck, and even your feet occasionally. Chest pain may suggest that you have heart valve, lung, or heart involvement
(aortic insufficiency). Eye involvement may be suggested if you have increased tearing, visual changes, or eye pain (uveitis). Some of the less common symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis may include fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, and fatigue. If arthritic spurs compress the spinal nerves, numbness may occur.
● What are the long term effects of this disorder?
• Some people with Ankylosing spondylitis become minimally disabled in the long term while others may have severely restricted movement in their spine in the long term. This is because the lower back is usually only affected by the condition which results in the bones of the spine joining up or fusing. This fusing makes it very hard to move your back and it can cause your posture to become fixed in one position, but it usually doesn’t lead to severe disability in some cases. Your doctor may recommend surgery if you have severe bends in your spine to be corrected (in rare
cases).
● Describe some of the current treatments available for this disorder. Which treatment would you choose and why? My research shows that there is currently no cure for this condition. Your doctor may prescribe you disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help control the inflammation and pain, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha blockers can possibly be used if the NSAIDs are insufficient. Also it may be recommended to apply hot and/or cold compresses to help control swelling and reduce pain. Different techniques may help to prevent some worsening and/or progressive symptoms such as the best sleeping positions, proper posture, daily exercise, swimming exercises, stretching exercises, and breathing exercises. In severe cases, where pain relief and mobility needs to be restored, your doctor may suggest joint or hip replacement surgery. In order for an upright posture to be restored and maintained, spinal surgery may be recommended. If I had this condition and had to choose a treatment, I would choose to do all the exercises and apply the hot and cold compresses because I hate taking medicine and I certainly wouldn’t be a great patient if I had to undergo surgery.
● Is there any research for new potential treatment options? Explain.
• Yes there are new potential treatments for this condition. The management of ankylosing spondylitis has been transformed by TNF- α. Humira, Remicade, and Enbrel can now be offered to patients who aren’t responding to conventional therapies, because they have now been approved by the FDA for treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. These inhibitors have maintained long-termed effectiveness by leading remarkable and rapid improvements in the signs and symptoms of AS including dactylitis, stiffness, peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, and back pain.