Ankylosing Spondylitis Awareness Month is observed every April. This month is dedicated to raising awareness and recognizing arthritis and other associated illnesses such as ankylosing spondylitis.
What is Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis, or AS, is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, although other joints can also be affected. Ankylosing spondylitis can cause some of the small bones (vertebrae) in the spine to fuse, making the spine less flexible and leading to altered posture, severe, chronic pain and discomfort.
Early signs and symptoms might include pain and stiffness in the lower back and hips. The areas in the body that are most commonly affected by ankylosing spondylitis are:
- The vertebrae in the lower back
- The hip and shoulder joints
- The cartilage between the breastbone and ribs
- The neck and shoulder blades
Symptoms do vary from person to person. The pain often is caused by inflammation of the site where a ligament or tendon attaches to bone. Some patients with AS may also experience bowel inflammation, which may be associated with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, according to the Spondylitis Association of America.
What Causes Ankylosing Spondylitis?
The exact cause of ankylosing spondylitis is unknown, although researchers have found that genetics play a key role in this inflammatory disease. According to the Spondylitis Association of America, researchers also suspect that other genes, along with a triggering environmental factor, are needed to activate AS in susceptible people.
Treatment for Ankylosing Spondylitis
While there is no cure for ankylosing spondylitis, treatment is available to help delay or prevent the process of the spine fusing and stiffening. Regular physical activity may be able to help improve posture and range of spinal movement. Exercise may also help prevent the spine from becoming stiff and painful.
If a person cannot find relief using painkillers or exercising, biological treatments may be recommended. Infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets a protein in the body called tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), is highly effective in controlling disease activity in AS.
When it comes to the treatment process for patients living with inflammatory diseases, the right dose of medicine at the right time is crucial. Precision dosing focuses on the individualization of drug treatment regimens based on drug attributes, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic variability, disease state characteristics and patient-specific factors.
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