About 96,000 people are affected in Spain ankylosing spondyloarthrosis according to the EPISER study. We are talking about one of the more than 200 described rheumatic diseases.
It is a chronic inflammatory disease which affects the joints of the spine. As a result of this pathology and vertebra They tend to fuse together, causing spinal stiffness and limited mobility.specialists from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER) explain.
Symptoms of ankylosing spondyloarthrosis
It is exactly this stiffness the main symptom ankylosing spondyloarthrosis.
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In general, The discomfort usually starts in the lower back area. (sacroiliac joints) which extends into the rest of the spine and which causes pain and reduced mobility of the neck and the back in general and the chest,” explains the rheumatologist.
But because it is what is clinically called a systemic diseasewhich means it affects the whole body, it can have consequences that do not involve the bones.
So ankylosing spondyloarthrosisas point to SER, In some patients, it may also cause:
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“Loss of appetite
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may cause fever
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Fatigue
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Even inflammation in organs such as the lungs and heart, though the latter occurs very rarely.’
Rheumatologists also draw attention to this a quarter of patients usually suffer as well uveitis (inflammation of the eyes).
How the disease is diagnosed and how it develops
In general, rheumatologists are able to make a diagnosis based on the symptoms a patient presents and a physical examination.
AND An X-ray helps to confirm inflammation of the spinal joints, but In some cases, this test is not enough because “radiological changes appears with a delay more or less large with regard to the onset of symptoms,” experts add.
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On the other hand, ankylosing spondyloarthritis It develops with flare-ups of inflammation, and between flare-ups the symptoms stop.as pain and the patient continues his normal life.
And as the SER specialists assure:
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“In general, the passage of time works in the patient’s favor because with age the foci tend to be more distant and milder.”
There is one more aspect to consider, and that is, thankfully, today Today, it is not common for ankylosing spondylitis to become serious“that means all the vertebrae are fused, so the person remains ankylosed and stiff.”
And increasingly, it is diagnosed earlier, allowing for earlier treatment and prevention of its progression.
According to Dr. Urruticoechea, rheumatologist from the Son Espases University Hospital (Palma de Mallorca).
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“Although diagnostics in this area have improved, there is still a certain delay, as early identification of these patients is not always easy. A crucial aspect of the success of the treatment and it decides A good long-term prognosis is the ability to make a timely diagnosis so that we can administer the most appropriate treatment as soon as possible.”
Therefore, Dr. Sagrario Bustabad, the president of SER emphasizes the need to guarantee early access to these diseases, a situation that is currently “seriously damaged” lack of specialists Rheumatology that our country suffers from.
Is it possible to treat ankylosing spondylarthrosis?
Although ankylosing spondylarthrosis cannot be cured Whether there are medications and therapies to treat symptoms such as pain or movement problems.
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On the one hand, anti-inflammatory substances play a vital role against pain and inflammation.
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On the other hand, movement rehabilitation, physical and breathing exercises, which aim to strengthen the back, necessarily help patients.
In addition, rheumatology specialists insist on adding daily exercise to promote shoulder and hip mobility, such as swimming.
