Ankylosing spondylitis - how to improve the quality of life?

Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with folk remedies includes a combination of certain treatment methods, various physical exercises and all kinds of rubbing, infusions from plants that are used to reduce and completely stop joint pain and inhibit inflammatory processes. Folk advice that saves you from this rare and very insidious disease is maintaining a dynamic lifestyle, diet, prevention in specialized sanatoriums, and most importantly, the use of special products based on plants, oils, together with the main methods of traditional medicine.

So what is ankylosing spondylitis or ankylosing spondylitis? This is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints and spine, which much more often affects men from 15 to 30 years old. A woman's chance of getting sick is 9 times lower. A certain genetic anomaly existing in the patient’s body, under the influence of risk factors, is activated and spreads throughout the body, thereby causing inflammation of the joints of the spine. And already inflammation leads to fusion of the vertebrae, as a result the mobility of the spine is lost.

Factors provoking the disease can be:

• All kinds of infections, including intestinal and genital infections.
• Chronic tonsillitis.
• Herpes virus.
• Inflammatory processes in the area of ​​tooth roots.
• Numerous stresses.
• Mechanical injuries of the musculoskeletal system.

The cause of the disease was recognized as a genetic abnormality.

Symptoms of the disease

The symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis are similar to those of other spinal diseases. This:

• Tightness, loss of flexibility in the thoracic spine.
• Pain in the sacroiliac region, radiating to the lower limbs or buttock.
• Increased pain in the 2nd half of the day.

The symptoms are similar to those of osteochondrosis. But they can be distinguished. Firstly, the age of patients with ankylosing spondylitis is younger. Secondly, with ankylosing spondylitis, the pain intensifies at rest, while with chondrosis it calms down. Thirdly, after pain relief in osteochondrosis, spinal mobility is restored, but not in spondylitis. And lastly, ankylosing spondylitis is easily detected at an early stage using x-rays, which cannot be said about chondrosis.

Ankylosing spondylitis - causes

This disease belongs to idiopathic diseases. This means that to this day the exact causes of the disease have not been determined. However, it has been scientifically proven that for the development of this pathological condition, the HLA B27 antigen must be present in the body. This element is found in 90% of patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. The presence of this antigen does not always indicate the development of the disease. The element may be present in the body of those who have a hereditary predisposition to the occurrence of such a pathological condition.

In addition, some experts believe that this disease develops under the influence of infectious agents. There is a version that these harmful microorganisms provoke a malfunction of the immune system. As a result, the body begins to produce antibodies not only to the infectious agents themselves, but also to the joint tissues. The immune system perceives them as foreign bodies. For this reason, the body begins to self-destruct.

Autoimmune processes are triggered by the following factors:

• hypothermia;
• excessive stress;
• dysfunction of the endocrine system;
• injuries;
• pathologies of the genitourinary system;
• acute and chronic infectious diseases.

Treatment of the disease

Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis often requires a combination of all methods: medication, physiotherapy, and therapeutic exercises. At a severe stage, surgery is recommended. The treatment is very long. Skiing, tennis and swimming are useful. These sports have a beneficial effect on strengthening the muscles of the buttocks, back and legs. Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic and progressive disease, but it can be resisted. You need to be regularly examined by a rheumatologist and undergo a course of treatment in a hospital or sanatorium on time. The main goal is to relieve pain and make the spine move.

Treatment of the disease with folk remedies is effective only at the initial stage. In addition, it is advisable to treat ankylosing spondylitis with folk remedies in parallel with massage.

Traditional medicine is rich in all kinds of drugs to cure this disease. This includes medicinal herbal mixtures, all kinds of tinctures, rubbings, the use of oils, and baths. We present the most effective and popular folk remedies.

Ankylosing spondylitis - symptoms

A number of specific signs help to judge the development of this pathological condition. Ankylosing spondylitis symptoms have the following:

• feeling of stiffness;
• pain in the spinal column, radiating to the arms, legs and buttocks;
• poor posture;
• loss of appetite;
• dizziness;
• back muscle atrophy;
• reduction in the volume of inhaled and exhaled air;
• instability of body temperature (it may rise in the morning).

Ankylosing spondylitis - stages

There are only 3 of them. Ankylosing spondylitis (ankylosing spondylitis) can have the following stages:

1. Initial – slight stiffness in movement is noted.
   The pain at this stage is minor. X-rays often show no abnormalities or minor pathology.
2. Moderate – pain intensifies.
   The stiffness of movement increases. X-ray examination shows a decrease in joint spaces.
3. Late – accompanied by severe restrictions and pain.
   An instrumental examination reveals pronounced signs of ankylosis.

Ankylosing spondylitis - pain

Unpleasant sensations vary in degree of manifestation and period of occurrence. Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis has the following manifestations:

• severe stiffness and pain in the morning, but after 30 minutes these symptoms disappear;
• unpleasant sensations occur during movement and at rest their intensity does not decrease;
• the area of ​​pain localization depends on the form of the pathological condition, and its intensity depends on the stage of development of the disease.

Treatment with herbal mixtures

There are many proven recipes for herbal infusions to get rid of the disease.

Collection 1. Grind the fruits of horse chestnut, knotweed, leaves of lilac, lingonberry, birch, pour boiling water, let it brew. Pour 2 tsp into a 2-week aged alcohol tincture of lilac buds. strained herbal infusion. Take 100 ml three times a day before meals for 1-2 months. It is recommended to repeat the course twice a year.

The following collections (2-5) are prepared in the same way. 2 tbsp. Pour hot water over spoons of the mixture, boil for 10 minutes, let it brew. Take 100 ml 3 times a day before meals. The course of taking each collection lasts 3 months, then you need to take a break for 2 weeks and a new collection. The general course will give results if used for at least a year.

Collection 2. Celandine, oregano, hop cones, string, calendula flowers, rose hips.

Collection 3. Hop cones, oregano and string.

Collection 4. Hawthorn fruits, mint, St. John's wort, tricolor violet, pine buds, oregano, savory, eucalyptus leaf.

Collection 5. String, elecampane root, wild rosemary, agrimony, sweet clover, horsetail, St. John's wort, yarrow, juniper fruits and needles.

The Canadian small petal is self-sufficient. The infusion is prepared in the same way.

Collection 6. Chop six flower baskets of young sunflowers, pour in 1 liter of grape vodka, leave in the sun for 40 days. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day before meals.

Ankylosing spondylitis - diagnosis

The patient is prescribed the following laboratory tests:

• rheumatological test;
• general blood and urine analysis;
• detection of glucose levels;
• blood test for immunoglobulins and antigens.

The following instrumental manipulations help make the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis:

• radiography;
• Ultrasound;
• ECG.

In addition, the following studies help identify the disease:

• Ott's test;
• Forestier's sign;
• Schober's test;
• Zatsepin's symptom;
• pain on palpation of the spine.

Treatment with ointments, compresses

Rubbing and ointments, made independently according to folk recipes, will help relieve swelling and dull the pain.

Grind 40 g of soap, 15 g of camphor, 60 g of ammonia, mix 0.5 liters of vodka, rub the resulting ointment into painful joints 3-5 times a day.

Take 50 g of mustard and camphor, 100 g of alcohol and egg white. Dissolve mustard and camphor in alcohol, beat the egg whites, and mix everything. The ointment is good to use at night.

Mix turpentine, sunflower oil, wine alcohol, add a piece of camphor. Leave for three days. Rub into the sore joint; it is recommended to make a compress based on this ointment overnight.

The pain will decrease if you carefully lubricate the sore spots with celandine juice.

Mix calamus oil, St. John's wort, aconite tincture, fly agaric, wormwood, calendula, burdock, hemlock and capsicum and use for rubbing.

Grind the roots of aconite, mix with 10 tbsp. spoons of lard. The ointment should be rubbed into sore joints and spine.

Folk remedies

Additional remedies are used as traditional methods of treatment:

• Ointments

Used as a rub on sore spots or used during a massage. An effective recipe: mix camphor (20g), crushed laundry soap (45g), ammonia (55g), vodka (half a liter). The resulting product should be lubricated with sore joints no more than 5 times a day.

You can use the second recipe: dissolve mustard powder (50g) and camphor (50g) in alcohol (100g). Add enough egg white to the mixture to obtain a homogeneous paste. Lubricate sore spots with it (necessarily the lumbar region).

Various dietary supplements or herbal preparations are used in therapy. Doctors recommend combining the listed remedies with drug treatments.

• Herbal collections.

Herbal medicine has worked well for ankylosing spondyloarthritis. To prepare medicinal decoctions, you can use a herbal composition containing wild rosemary with string, elecampane, agrimony, tricolor violet, pine buds, oregano, eucalyptus leaf, and savory. You need to mix 2 tbsp. l. plants and fill with clean water. Boil for exactly 10 minutes and let it brew. Take 100 ml three times a day before meals. Full course – at least 3 months.

• Oils.

One of the most effective remedies for spondyloarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. To prepare, you will need thamus and simple sunflower oil. You need to take the root of the plant and grind it. Then mix with oil. Infuse the resulting product for at least 2 weeks. Useful during massage procedures.

• Taking baths.

Healing baths for ankylosing spondylitis help reduce stress and relax muscles and joints. To do this, you can add the above collection of herbs for decoction. Or take alder in the form of an extract with elm, pine, birch, currants, dandelion, strawberries, kirkazon, rue, and marigold, and mix in equal parts. Place sweet clover, speedwell and wild rosemary with them.

One bath will require 250 grams. any collection that needs to be boiled in 5 liters of water (15 minutes is enough). After this, leave for a quarter of an hour and pour out. Take 20 minutes twice every 7 days. Duration - 9 weeks. After a break of 4 months, you can take such baths again.

Bath treatment

For the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, the use of turpentine baths according to A. Zalmanov’s recipe is popular and effective. Phytovannas are also very good in treating the disease during its remission.

Combine wild rosemary, speedwell, sweet clover, birch, alder, cinquefoil, elm, dandelion, honeydew, loboda, rue, pine, currant, kirkazon, and strawberries in equal proportions. Boil 300 g of the mixture in a cotton bag in 5 liters of water for 20 minutes. Infuse the broth and then pour it into warm water in the bath. Take 2 times a week for 2 months. Repeat the course again after 5–6 months.

Ankylosing spondylitis - treatment

There are no miracle drugs that can completely get rid of the disease. To slow down the progression of the disease and improve the patient’s quality of life, an integrated approach is used. All treatment can be divided into the following stages:

• the patient's stay in the hospital (this therapy is recommended during an exacerbation);
• sanatorium treatment;
• outpatient therapy.

This is how medical luminaries recommend treating ankylosing spondylitis:

• massage;
• physiotherapy;
• drug therapy;
• swimming;
• balneological procedures and so on.

Gymnastics for ankylosing spondylitis

Exercises should be selected taking into account the patient’s physical condition and the stage of development of the disease. Such gymnastics are prescribed so that the joints are worked out as much as possible. Exercises for ankylosing spondylitis include deep turns, rotations, bends forward, backward and to the sides. During such physical therapy, the joints should be used as much as possible. In order for the training to be effective, it must be done regularly. Exercises should be performed for 30 minutes or more per day.

Massage for ankylosing spondylitis

The effect on the joints affected by the disease should be light. A hard massage will cause aggravation. In addition, all manipulations should be carried out during the period of remission. When ankylosing spondylitis is diagnosed, treatment with massage has the following effects on the body:

• blood circulation improves;
• muscle tone is normalized;
• tension and stiffness are relieved;
• pain decreases;
• mobility is maintained.

Ankylosing spondylitis - treatment drugs

Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal medications are the main remedy in the fight against this disease. The minimum course of their admission is 1 year. You should take such drugs for a maximum of 5 years. The most common anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed to patients are:

• Meloxicam;
• Ketoprofen;
• Ketonal;
• Nimesil;
• Voltaren;
• Movalis;
• Ortofen.

In severe cases of the disease, the following cytostatic medications are prescribed:

• Azathioprine;
• Chlorbutin;
• Methotrexate.

Hormonal drugs have an anti-inflammatory effect. The following injections are most often prescribed for ankylosing spondylitis:

• Prednisolone;
• Solu-medrol;
• Metipred.

Sulfasalazine for ankylosing spondylitis is considered the most effective medicine. This medication is prescribed to patients whose treatment with hormones and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs does not give the desired result. According to medical experts, it is more powerful and effective. However, to ensure that the result does not disappoint, you should adhere to the prescribed dosage and regimen of taking the medication.

Ankylosing spondylitis - treatment with folk remedies

When treating this disease, “drugs” of alternative medicine are also used. The following drugs are most often prescribed for treatment:

• healing baths;
• decoctions;
• ointments;
• tinctures.

Ankylosing spondylitis - traditional methods of treatment using healing baths

Ingredients:

• wild rosemary, pine needles, cinquefoil and sweet clover (in equal parts) – 300 g;
• water – 5 l.

Preparation, use:

1. Medicinal herbs are placed in a gauze bag and lowered into boiling water.
2. After the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low and cook for half an hour.
3. The broth is cooled and left for a couple of hours.
4. Strain the drug and pour it into a bath of warm water. The procedure should take 10-15 minutes. You should take this bath twice or thrice a week for several months in a row.

Healing ointment

Ingredients:

• common thymus root – 220 g;
• Sunflower oil – 1 des. spoon.

Preparation, use:

1. The root of the medicinal plant is crushed.
2. Mix it with oil.
3. Infuse the mixture for 18-20 days.
4. The composition should be rubbed three times a day into the affected areas of the body. Such procedures need to be carried out for several months in a row.

Diet for ankylosing spondylitis

Properly organized nutrition helps to alleviate the patient’s condition. Idiopathic ankylosing spondylitis involves eating the following foods:

• fresh vegetables and fruits;
• sea ​​salt instead of table salt;
• dairy products with low fat content;
• dried fruits, nuts and seeds;
• parsley, dill, basil and so on;
• whole grain cereals;
• lean meat;
• salads seasoned with unrefined oils;
• jellies.

In addition, ankylosing spondylitis requires the exclusion of the following foods from the diet:

• alcoholic drinks;
• semi-finished products;
• fast food;
• canned food;
• smoked, spicy and fried foods;
• refined products;
• food containing harmful “E-shki”.

Treatment with bee venom and nettle

Many people consider a stinging nettle broom to be an effective folk remedy. It is necessary to lash the patient on the back and other places for an hour. Repeat in a day. Over the summer it is possible to take 2 courses with a short break.

It is also recommended that patients with spondylitis undergo treatment with bee stings. This is a fairly well known method. It must be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

And in conclusion, it should be said that the use of folk remedies should not be opposed to traditional methods of treatment, cancel or completely replace them, but should only complement them, strengthen them, and help.

Ankylosing spondylitis - prognosis for life

How the disease develops is influenced by many factors:

• which joints are primarily affected;
• what are the associated diseases;
• what is the condition of the adjacent joints?

If you seek medical help in a timely manner, it is possible to stop the progression of the disease and alleviate the patient’s plight. However, if the disease is left without proper treatment, ankylosing spondylitis may have a disappointing prognosis. There is a high probability of the following complications:

1. One out of 5 patients has pathology in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. The risk of heart attack, hypertension and stroke increases.
2. Ankylosing spondylitis provokes functional failure of various organs (kidneys, liver, heart).
3. Iritis or uveitis develops - ailments accompanied by pain, loss of vision and photophobia. As a result, the situation can reach partial or complete blindness.
4. Due to disruption of the structure of bone tissue, their increased fragility is observed. The risk of spinal fracture increases.
5. Less commonly, cauda equina syndrome develops, a condition in which a bundle of nerve roots located in the lower spinal cord is compressed. This complication is manifested by fecal and urinary incontinence, numbness of the extremities, and severe pain when walking.
6. Pulmonary tissue fibrosis is diagnosed. In every 10th case, this disease is confirmed when the body is affected by ankylosing spondylitis.
7. Due to chest deformation, the risk of developing pneumonia and tuberculosis increases.

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External therapy for ankylosing spondylitis

How to treat ankylosing spondylitis at home? One of the most popular and sought after methods for both men and women is the use of ointment for rubbing in the spine area, which is prepared according to different recipes.

Depending on the ingredients, the product can have anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

To prepare ointments, you must use the following recipes:

1. Mix 40 g of grated laundry soap, 60 g of ammonia and 15 g of camphor oil. Add 500 ml of vodka or alcohol diluted to 400. Use the ointment to rub the affected area 2-3 times a day. If it is not possible to use the medication frequently, use it at least once before bedtime.
2. At home, it is easy to prepare a healing ointment based on mullein, which has a pronounced analgesic effect. To do this, you need to prepare a tincture from 50 g of plant flowers and 500 ml of vodka. Use the medicinal product for rubbing before bedtime.
3. Dissolve 50 g of dry mustard in the same amount of camphor and mix with beaten egg whites (100 g). Apply the product to the skin in the spine area with light massage movements.
4. An ointment based on 200 g of crushed thamus roots and 50 g of sunflower oil will help cure the disease and relieve pain. Before use, the product must be left in a dark and cool place for 2 weeks.
5. In the summer, you can use fresh horseradish for rubbing. To prepare the medicine, you need to squeeze the juice from the plant and add vodka in a 1:1 ratio. Use for rubbing the lumbosacral and other parts of the spine. In order to enhance the therapeutic effect, the affected area should be well wrapped.

Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with folk remedies is a long process. It will take a lot of time to achieve positive dynamics, so in parallel you need to use drugs that can quickly make the patient feel better.

Causes and manifestations of the disease

Ankylosing spondylitis or ankylosing spondylitis is a rare autoimmune disease that is caused by the immune system itself, which is designed to protect the body from disease.
In a person who has inherited the HLA-B27 gene, the immune cells of the orderly begin to perceive healthy cells of the cartilage tissue of the joints as harmful and infectious agents dangerous to the body. Their destruction leads to the destruction of the ligaments and joints of the spine, the sacrolumbar joint, and large joints of the limbs. Trying to compensate for the lack of soft cartilaginous tissue, the vertebrae begin to actively grow, shackling the spine in a monolithic bone case.

A “frozen” spine causes severe pain in the back, neck, limbs and provokes the development of serious pathologies in other internal organs.

The disease is chronic and irreversible. Men in the prime of life (16-35 years old) who have relatives suffering from ankylosing spondylitis are at risk.

Orthopedic doctor, 12 years of work experience. Not all people with the HLA-B27 gene develop ankylosing spondylitis. For the development of pathology, the presence of an infectious factor is necessary, which becomes a trigger for triggering an immune failure in the body.

Diagnosis of the disease

During the first medical examination, it is very important that the doctor looks for the symptoms of ankylosing spondylosis, which is often disguised as osteochondrosis, rheumatoid arthritis or spondylosis. To diagnose ankylosing spondylitis, a rheumatologist will most likely recommend undergoing an additional X-ray examination in order to promptly identify changes in the lumbosacral region. This diagnostic method is considered the most reliable for identifying ankylosing spondylitis. If the signs of the disease are not clearly expressed or the disease is at an early stage, then the patient needs to undergo magnetic resonance imaging, which will help identify the disease in its most minor manifestations.

If you are constantly tormented by pain in the spine or joints, we advise you to immediately undergo an examination.

Pain in the joints of the limbs, lower back and spine, accompanied by an increase in low-grade fever, can also give the doctor additional grounds for making a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, as this indicates the course of the inflammatory process in the body.

Diet

The principles of proper nutrition for patients pursue the same goals as traditional medicine methods: reducing pain and slowing down the activity of the inflammatory process. The diet includes the inclusion in the diet of foods that contain:

• Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids,
• antioxidants (vitamin B, C),
• boron, silicon, fluorine, potassium, magnesium, protein.

For this purpose, it is recommended to follow a Mediterranean and protein diet. Their concept is based on the priority in the daily menu of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, seafood, unrefined olive and flaxseed oil, nuts, grains, low-fat dairy products and lean poultry.

People diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis should forget about salty, floury, smoked, fried and spicy foods, excessive consumption of alcohol, coffee, and sweets.