Bekhterev's disease
What is ankylosing spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis is a degenerative arthritis that primarily affects the joints of the spine, causing the cartilage, ligaments and joints surrounding the vertebrae to ossify and then the spinal column to become completely rigid. The Latin name for it is Spondylitis Ankylopoetica, or SpA for short. Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic, incurable spinal disease that requires lifelong therapy. Today, specific biological treatments and individualised movement therapy can significantly improve quality of life, reduce pain and slow down the calcification process. It affects approximately 0.2-0.4% of the population, but is five times more common in men than in women.
Why does ankylosing spondylitis develop?
The exact cause of ankylosing spondylitis is not known, but genetic predisposition has been shown to play a role. A genetic predisposing factor has been identified HLA-B27 gene, whose presence in the body indicates a predisposing risk. However, the presence of the gene alone does not mean that ankylosing spondylitis will definitely develop. In addition to predisposition, the disease is usually caused by an infection. It is important to note that ankylosing spondylitis is not an autoimmune disease, but symptoms due to abnormal immune function.
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Dr. Dóra Mihola
Rheumatologist specialist
Symptoms and course of ankylosing spondylitis
One of the first and main symptoms of the disease is spinal pain, most often starting in the lumbar, sacral and possibly cervical regions. The painful complaint of ankylosing spondylitis is usually occurs during or after rest or night sleep and decreases with movement or even disappear completely. Sometimes the patient may wake up at night with lower back pain, typically getting up and moving around to relieve the pain.
Ankylosing spondylitis may therefore be indicated by pain in the lower back that occurs or increases when the patient is at rest. This typical spinal pain is caused by inflammation of the segments around the vertebrae. The inflammation is triggered by abnormal immune function, which causes the surrounding joints, ligaments and cartilage to calcify, ossify and eventually become completely stiff. In the long term, inflammation and ossification can affect the entire spinal column and even the surrounding large joints and ribs. In advanced stages of the disease, mobility is significantly reduced and respiratory function is impaired. Over time, inflammation and calcification may also affect the hip and shoulder joints, sometimes requiring the implantation of a prosthesis.
It's important to know that in ankylosing spondylitis, the painful, inflammatory symptoms are not always constant: the inflammation may flare up and then become latent. With recurrent spinal pain, it is always worth consulting a rheumatologist or orthopaedic specialist.
Possible complications of ankylosing spondylitis
In ankylosing spondylitis, inflammation is a virtually constant presence in the body, affecting the spinal column and surrounding joints and bones, can also cause complications in other parts of the body. Often occurs with type eye inflammation, which causes redness, swelling, light sensitivity and pain in the eyes. Occurs hip, knee and ankle arthritis, heel pain, and osteoporosis ankylosing spondylitis and, because of the rib involvement mentioned above cardiovascular complaints, and breathing difficulties can also develop. Ankylosing spondylitis can be associated with skin problems such as psoriasis, but they occur in the diseases associated with chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract, such as Crohn's disease.
Dr. Gréta Sterba
Rheumatologist specialist
Diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis
Low back pain is a complaint affecting 80% of people, while ankylosing spondylitis affects only 0.2-0.4% of the population. The diagnosis of the disease is therefore of paramount importance and requires a high degree of precision. The first step is a specialist examination: rheumatologist or orthopaedic specialist will start further diagnostics based on a thorough interview and physical examination. The first sign of ankylosing spondylitis in the early stages is a characteristic pain at night or at rest, which is relieved by movement. Family history and hereditary predisposition are also reasons for further investigation. For a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis blood tests (to detect inflammation), diagnostic imaging (X-ray or MRI), and gene testing. The presence of the predisposing gene is observed in 60-70% of SpA patients, so gene testing alone is not sufficient to make a diagnosis. The results of the diagnostic tests are assessed by a rheumatologist or orthopaedic specialist and a personalised treatment plan is drawn up.
The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis can be shocking and frightening for patients. At the same time, it is important to be aware that this is not a death sentence: with proper treatment, care and lifestyle, a full life can be lived for many years.
Treatment options for Bekhterev's disease
Ankylosing spondylitis is diagnosed by a rheumatologist or orthopaedic specialist and set up a targeted treatment plan. Unfortunately, the disease cannot be cured with current medical science, but pain can be relieved, the inflammatory process slowed and quality of life improved. To do this biological immunotherapy and daily use of the special physiotherapy (with breathing exercises!), a healthy lifestyle, swimming or other beneficial sporting activities. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may also be used occasionally, but this is rarely necessary in addition to the above therapeutic methods. The conscientious and lifelong use of complex therapy can also prevent the development of ankylosing spondylitis and other complications. Thanks to biological treatment, the quality of life of patients with advanced disease can nowadays be significantly improved (effective pain relief) and the inflammatory ossification process can be slowed down considerably in the early stages.
Common complaints treated by specialists at the Spine Centre
- back pain
- back pain
- scoliosis
- nerve pinching
- back pain
- neck pain
- stiff neck - neck stiffness
- osteoporosis
- back pain
- spinal stenosis
- back pain
- pain in the lumbar spine
- pain in the buttocks
- neglect
- sacral pain
- shoulder blade pain
- morning backache
- pain in the back of the neck