What is ankylosing spondylitis?

Update Date: 2023-07-20 Source: Network

summary

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic progressive disease involving the spine, sacroiliac joint and hip joint. In the early stage of the disease, the main characteristics of the disease are low back pain, and nocturnal pain is the most common. Because of pain, patients toss and turn, can't sleep all night, and the pain is unbearable. What is ankylosing spondylitis? Let's talk about it

What is ankylosing spondylitis?

When the lumbar vertebra is involved, the lower back and lumbar movement are limited. Lumbar flexion, dorsiflexion, lateral bending and rotation can be limited. Physical examination can find tenderness of lumbar spinal process and muscle spasm beside lumbar spine; Later period may have the waist muscle atrophy.

Cervical lesions in a small number of patients first manifested as cervical spondylitis, first cervical pain, along the neck to the head arm radiation. Cervical muscle spasm at the beginning, then atrophy, the disease progression can develop to cervical thoracic kyphosis deformity. The movement of the head is obviously limited, and it is often fixed in the anteflexion position, unable to tilt up, bend or rotate. In severe cases, they can only see a small piece of ground in front of their toes and can't look straight up.

About half of as patients have transient acute peripheral arthritis and about 25% have permanent peripheral joint damage. It usually occurs in the large joint, the lower limb is more than the upper limb. When the shoulder joint is involved, the joint activity is limited, the pain is more obvious, and the activities of combing hair and raising hands are limited. When the knee joint is invaded, the joint will be compensatory bending, which makes walking, sitting and other daily life more difficult.

matters needing attention

Get up in the morning when the back is stiff, you can take a hot bath to improve. Hot compress can also relieve local pain. Don't smoke to avoid lung injury. Be careful to avoid injury. Be sure to fasten your seat belt when driving. Try not to ride a motor vehicle.