Bechterew's disease: symptoms, photos, causes, treatment
Bechterew's disease has an international name - ankylosing spondylitis.
With it, intervertebral joints become inflamed, the result of which is their complete fusion.
Movement in the spine is limited, until complete immobilization.
Why does Bechterew's Disease develop and what is it? The main cause, which leads to the development of the disease, is genetic heredity( inheritance of immunity features), it is also important to have foci of chronic infection in the human body( most often the intestine or bladder).
The cause that triggers the pathology is intestinal, sexual infections, stressful conditions, trauma. Scientists have proved the relationship between the development of the disease and the impaired activity of immunity.
Because Bechterew's disease is an autoimmune pathology( human immunity perceives the tissues of one's body as strangers and shows aggression).
It all begins with a feeling of stiffness at the junction of the sacrum with the ilium. It can give to the gluteal region, the legs, the second half of the sleep is broken due to the special stiffness and pain syndrome.
Everything can be accompanied by persistent pain in the heels, especially in young people( guys).As the progression appears, pain and stiffness in the thoracic region of the spine. In the clinical analysis of the patient's blood with Bekhterev's disease, the accelerated sedimentation rate of erythrocytes( or its abbreviation ESR) appears to 30-40 millimeters per hour, but these figures can also increase.
If this symptomatology persists for more than ninety days in a row, then this should be an occasion to contact a specialist. This pathology can begin not only with problems with the vertebral column, but according to the clinical course resemble rheumatoid joint damage( pathology in which both small and large joints of the upper and lower extremities are affected), the eyes, the aorta or the heart muscle can be affected.
It is possible to determine the fusion and to make the correct diagnosis if one resorts to the help of X-rays and the production of images, they can be made only during the second stage of the process. The first stage of the disease can be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging, but it is not practically used for this purpose.
Over time, the disease only progresses, there is a restriction of movements in the spinal column, a person can not bend to the sides, forward and backward. Pain can be triggered by an ordinary cough, sneezing, or deep breathing.
The state of rest and immobility only strengthens the pain syndrome, and regular mobility becomes the factor that will help improve the condition. If you do not take any measures, immobilization and the position of the "petitioner"( arms bent at the elbows, stooped posture, the head is tilted down, and the legs are bent at the knee joints) can become the norm of life.
With complete absence of appropriate therapy for special exercises, joints begin to coalesce, and another pathology progresses. The patient has inflammation of the eyeballs, there is tuberculosis, due to the lack of mobility of the chest, strong painkillers lead to the development of gastric ulcer.
Differential diagnosis should be performed between osteochondrosis, spondylosis, the so-called degenerative diseases of the spine. It's enough just to come to see a specialist, often Bekhterev's disease develops in young guys, and DZP at the age of 35-40 years, although recently there has been a tendency to rejuvenate this pathology.
On a roentgen in a direct projection, the spine with ankylosing spondylitis resembles a "bamboo stick".You do not need to take care of yourself, maximum mobility will only be a pledge of reducing the pain syndrome. With DZP movements exacerbate the disease, especially at the end of the working day.
Bechterew's disease is characterized by the intensity of the muscles of the back, then comes their atrophy. The first, with what all actually begins - a fusion of the sacrum and the iliac bone( pelvic bone), which is confirmed by radiographic images.
It is also worth distinguishing ankylosing spondylarthrosis from rheumatoid arthritis. The latter are more often sick with women, and joint damage occurs symmetrically. In 80% of cases in the blood there is a rheumatic factor, and only 3-15% is in patients with Bechterew's disease, but HLA-27 antigen, it is he who is found in a person suffering from an ailment and will become a reliable confirmation.
It is not possible to achieve complete cure of the disease at the present stage of development of medicine, but it is possible to stop the progress of the disease, it is important to start everything at the initial stage.
All is reduced to suppression of immune system which as scientists assume, is the reason of development of a symptomatology. Used hormones - corticosteroids, they also inhibit the inflammatory process in the joints. In combination with drugs, physiotherapy is also used.
Treatment includes stationary, sanatorium-resort and in the conditions of a polyclinic.
In severe cases, the case can reach immunosuppressants( drugs that purposely suppress the immune system).Massage, manual therapy and special therapeutic gymnastics are also used, which is applied individually by a doctor and should be performed for thirty minutes two times throughout the day. Deep breathing will help to keep the movements in the chest as long as possible.
At the initial stage, the importance of preventing the pathological posture( "petitioner" or "proudman").Help in this occupation by skiing or swimming, due to this strengthened the muscles of the back and buttocks. Sleeping is on a hard bed or a mattress and without a pillow under your head.
The main task of a specialist is to delay development and prevent the disease from progressing. It will help in this regular X-ray examination, and consult with a rheumatologist, as well as undergoing treatment in a hospital. The main goal that is pursued is the prevention of pain syndrome and prevention of movement restrictions.
If you are diagnosed with Bechterew's disease, which is confirmed laboratory and instrumental, treating it is more than responsible and not self-medicate. Only the timely intervention of a specialist will help to preserve the quality of life for a long time.
With it, intervertebral joints become inflamed, the result of which is their complete fusion.
Movement in the spine is limited, until complete immobilization.
Causes of
Why does Bechterew's Disease develop and what is it? The main cause, which leads to the development of the disease, is genetic heredity( inheritance of immunity features), it is also important to have foci of chronic infection in the human body( most often the intestine or bladder).
The cause that triggers the pathology is intestinal, sexual infections, stressful conditions, trauma. Scientists have proved the relationship between the development of the disease and the impaired activity of immunity.
Because Bechterew's disease is an autoimmune pathology( human immunity perceives the tissues of one's body as strangers and shows aggression).
Symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis
It all begins with a feeling of stiffness at the junction of the sacrum with the ilium. It can give to the gluteal region, the legs, the second half of the sleep is broken due to the special stiffness and pain syndrome.
Everything can be accompanied by persistent pain in the heels, especially in young people( guys).As the progression appears, pain and stiffness in the thoracic region of the spine. In the clinical analysis of the patient's blood with Bekhterev's disease, the accelerated sedimentation rate of erythrocytes( or its abbreviation ESR) appears to 30-40 millimeters per hour, but these figures can also increase.
If this symptomatology persists for more than ninety days in a row, then this should be an occasion to contact a specialist. This pathology can begin not only with problems with the vertebral column, but according to the clinical course resemble rheumatoid joint damage( pathology in which both small and large joints of the upper and lower extremities are affected), the eyes, the aorta or the heart muscle can be affected.
It is possible to determine the fusion and to make the correct diagnosis if one resorts to the help of X-rays and the production of images, they can be made only during the second stage of the process. The first stage of the disease can be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging, but it is not practically used for this purpose.
Over time, the disease only progresses, there is a restriction of movements in the spinal column, a person can not bend to the sides, forward and backward. Pain can be triggered by an ordinary cough, sneezing, or deep breathing.
The state of rest and immobility only strengthens the pain syndrome, and regular mobility becomes the factor that will help improve the condition. If you do not take any measures, immobilization and the position of the "petitioner"( arms bent at the elbows, stooped posture, the head is tilted down, and the legs are bent at the knee joints) can become the norm of life.
With complete absence of appropriate therapy for special exercises, joints begin to coalesce, and another pathology progresses. The patient has inflammation of the eyeballs, there is tuberculosis, due to the lack of mobility of the chest, strong painkillers lead to the development of gastric ulcer.
Diagnosis of Bechterew's disease
Differential diagnosis should be performed between osteochondrosis, spondylosis, the so-called degenerative diseases of the spine. It's enough just to come to see a specialist, often Bekhterev's disease develops in young guys, and DZP at the age of 35-40 years, although recently there has been a tendency to rejuvenate this pathology.
On a roentgen in a direct projection, the spine with ankylosing spondylitis resembles a "bamboo stick".You do not need to take care of yourself, maximum mobility will only be a pledge of reducing the pain syndrome. With DZP movements exacerbate the disease, especially at the end of the working day.
Bechterew's disease is characterized by the intensity of the muscles of the back, then comes their atrophy. The first, with what all actually begins - a fusion of the sacrum and the iliac bone( pelvic bone), which is confirmed by radiographic images.
It is also worth distinguishing ankylosing spondylarthrosis from rheumatoid arthritis. The latter are more often sick with women, and joint damage occurs symmetrically. In 80% of cases in the blood there is a rheumatic factor, and only 3-15% is in patients with Bechterew's disease, but HLA-27 antigen, it is he who is found in a person suffering from an ailment and will become a reliable confirmation.
Treatment of Bechterew's disease
It is not possible to achieve complete cure of the disease at the present stage of development of medicine, but it is possible to stop the progress of the disease, it is important to start everything at the initial stage.
All is reduced to suppression of immune system which as scientists assume, is the reason of development of a symptomatology. Used hormones - corticosteroids, they also inhibit the inflammatory process in the joints. In combination with drugs, physiotherapy is also used.
Treatment includes stationary, sanatorium-resort and in the conditions of a polyclinic.
In severe cases, the case can reach immunosuppressants( drugs that purposely suppress the immune system).Massage, manual therapy and special therapeutic gymnastics are also used, which is applied individually by a doctor and should be performed for thirty minutes two times throughout the day. Deep breathing will help to keep the movements in the chest as long as possible.
At the initial stage, the importance of preventing the pathological posture( "petitioner" or "proudman").Help in this occupation by skiing or swimming, due to this strengthened the muscles of the back and buttocks. Sleeping is on a hard bed or a mattress and without a pillow under your head.
The main task of a specialist is to delay development and prevent the disease from progressing. It will help in this regular X-ray examination, and consult with a rheumatologist, as well as undergoing treatment in a hospital. The main goal that is pursued is the prevention of pain syndrome and prevention of movement restrictions.
If you are diagnosed with Bechterew's disease, which is confirmed laboratory and instrumental, treating it is more than responsible and not self-medicate. Only the timely intervention of a specialist will help to preserve the quality of life for a long time.