There are so
many spinal conditions! Your Williamson chiropractor is well aware
of this. Apple Country Chiropractic welcomes them all! For optimal
relief of pain and limited function, the first step is to
recognize the condition then set up its proper
treatment. Apple Country Chiropractic is experienced in both! This week’s highlighted
condition is inflammatory back pain, axial spondyloarthritis, and the spine-specific
type, ankylosing spondylitis.
AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS
Axial spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory back pain condition.
It is commonly missed as a cause of chronic low back pain while
approximately 1% of the US population has it. Characteristics
of axial spondyloarthritis include onset before 45 years of
age, morning stiffness, improvement with exercise not rest, alternating
gluteal pain, and positive response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drug treatment. Other characteristics of axial spondyloarthritis
involve enthesitis (inflammation of tendons and ligaments as
they insert into bone), dactylitis (inflammation of a finger
or toe), peripheral arthritis, extra-articular appearances (like psoriasis,
inflammatory bowel disease, or uveitis), positive for the human leukocyte
antigen B27, and a family history of the disease. Prompt diagnosis
is vital as is a rheumatology referral for evaluation and co-management. (1)
Not only is axial spondyloarthritis missed in medical offices,
but it is sometimes overlooked in chiropractic offices, too. (2) It’s just not recognized for what it is: an immune-mediated
inflammatory disease. Your Williamson chiropractor is aware and looks for it so that typical lapses of time - sometimes years - will not go by between symptom onset and diagnosis. Since it’s
a back pain condition, axial spondyloarthritis can be diagnosed and co-treated
with chiropractic care for positive outcomes.
ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS: A SUBSET OF AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS
SPECIFIC TO THE SPINE
One variety of axial spondyloarthritis is ankylosing
spondylitis. Spondylitis is defined as inflammation of the vertebrae.
Interdisciplinary management with chiropractic
and medical care with rehabilitation often works well for
these patients in reducing their symptoms and increasing
musculoskeletal function. (3) Treating this condition requires
gentle care that certified Cox® Technic chiropractic physicians are experienced
in delivering. A case of a 30-year-old male first diagnosed at age 12 whose condition, despite medical care, led
to fusion of his sacroiliac joints and his
facet joints in the lumbar and cervical spine. The patient was
treated with chiropractic spinal manipulation of his thoracic, lumbar, and
cervical spine areas and physical therapy stretches for 12 weeks. His advanced
condition responded favorably with some improvement in
pain and flexibility. (4) Another male patient who was 34 years old with a 10-year history of AS underwent
18 weeks of chiropractic spinal manipulation and mobilization. This led
to a 90% improvement in a disease activity index and an 85%
improvement in a functional index from start to finish.
(5) Apple Country Chiropractic offers very gentle spinal
manipulation and mobilization in the form of Cox® Technic distraction
decompression. An advanced type of the condition doesn’t
rule out chiropractic care or its resultant
good outcomes.
CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Gabriel Monterrubio on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson. He describes his use of the Cox®
Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for treating ankylosing
spondylitis.