• Home
• Back Pain Relief
• Privacy Policy

Ankylosing spondylitis affects the spine and sacroiliac joints

June 18th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

One of the rarest forms of arthritis is the ankylosing spondylitis, which is more common in males than in females.

Some of the early signs of ankylosing spondylitis may occur even at an early age, where the patient experiences recurring painful joints. It also shows pain and stiffness at the lower part of the spine. It is also associated with iritis that causes eye pain, and photophobia that increases one’s sensitivity to light.  Some patients may also experience mouth ulcers, fatigue, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, and Reiter’s disease.

Like some types of arthritis, there’s no direct test to diagnose ankylosing spondylitis, proper laboratory tests and medical examinations must be conducted first before one can be diagnosed with this disorder.

There are certain degrees or levels in which ankylosing spondylitis are ranged, since this is a progressive type of arthritis, and there are some which can be medically controlled. However, ankylosing spondylitis, has no known cure, there are only available treatments and medications that can control the symptoms, and reduce the pain.

Physical therapy, exercise, and medicine, help the patients diminish the pain, stiffness, and inflammation, caused by ankylosing spondlylitis. For those with severe cases of ankylosing spondylitis, patients can opt to undergo a sugery for joint replacement, but there are procedures which may be risky, especially if the affected areas are the spine and neck.

If one is affected by such disease, it is important that one takes measures in order to suppress its progress, although it will still continuously be present even until adulthood.  Though, there may not be a cure for ankylosing spondylitis, it is still significant on a patientís part to ask a physician of how to improve his condition, to keep the painful attacks from coming, and to avoid the early onset of having a bamboo spine.

Additional info: Ankylosing spondylitis, abbreviated as AS, actually has been known in different terms such as: Marie-Strumpell Disease, Bechterew’s Disease, Bechterew syndrome, Marie-Struempell disease, and spondyloarthritis. It is a chronic, progressive, and inflammatory type of arthritis that affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. It ultimately leads to the complete rigidity of the spine, which is called as the “bamboo spine”.

Chronic Pain Relief - dealing with pain long term

June 14th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Chronic pain can be the result of age, injury or illness.

It can affect many parts of the body, although the back is generally the most common culprit. Chronic pain can have emotional side effects like depression, so it is important to find effective treatment for your pain whenever possible. The good news is that there are many options in chronic pain relief, and through a process of trial and error in partnership with your doctor and other health professionals, you can keep chronic pain from destroying your quality of life. If you are suffering from chronic pain, the first place that you should go is to your doctor’s office so that he can diagnose the cause of your pain. Discovering the root of pain is often the first step to chronic pain relief. Once you know what is causing your condition, you will be better prepared to find a solution.

Medications

Often the first course of action in treating chronic pain relief is medication. This can include over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen for times when the pain flares up. It can also incorporate prescription medications such as antidepressants, muscle relaxants and corticosteroids. While any of these medications can be successful in bringing chronic pain relief in the short term, long term use of most of these medications can result in serious side effects. Because of this, it is a good idea to find other methods of chronic pain relief that can reduce the pain while also reducing the frequency of medication.

Other Methods of Chronic Pain Relief

While rest might be recommended for the first day or two after an injury, physical activity is generally thought of as an effective means of bringing chronic pain relief. Regular exercise can increase flexibility and strength while improving muscle tone. It is also an essential part of a healthy lifestyle while bring relief from chronic pain. If you want to begin a regular exercise program as a way to treat your chronic pain, make sure that you do it under the supervision of a doctor, physical therapist or personal trainer. This professional guidance will ensure that you get started on the right track without causing further damage or injury to yourself.

Other means of finding relief from chronic pain include herbal treatments, massage therapy, and acupuncture. Your doctor may prescribe some physical therapy for you as well, to bring strength and conditioning back to an injured area. Hot and cold therapies can be an effective home treatment that can bring chronic pain relief, by alternating ice and hot packs to the affected area. Some find that aromatherapy and biofeedback techniques can help them to relax muscles and release tension, which can in turn bring chronic pain relief as well.

Natural Pain Relief For Arthritis: What Works?

June 11th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Unfortunately there’s no cure for arthritis and the arthritic changes that arthritis brings to your joints, but you can relieve the pain that accompanies this medical condition.

Two treatments which are easy and are worth trying are massage therapy, and also massage with essential oils.

Massage Therapy: Gentle Massage Can Relieve Pain

When you massage a painful arthritic joint, you help the blood circulation to the joint, and this aids healing. Another benefit is that the muscles relax, and this relieves pain too, because tight muscles around the joint make it even more painful.

Although you can massage painful joints yourself, for best results visit a massage therapist, because the therapist will know the best way to massage your hands, or whichever joints are affected. Ask to be shown some easy massage techniques that you can perform at home.

Massage therapy can’t reverse arthritis, but many people find that they can keep arthritis at bay with massage therapy.

Essential Oils For Arthritis Pain Relief

Massage therapy can help even more if you massage your joints with essential oils. Essential oils are fragrant oils which are refined from plants, roots, and trees. Pain relieving essential oils for arthritis treatment include ginger, lavandin, and eucalyptus.

For an arthritis joint massage, very small quantities of pure essential oils (about one drop per teaspoon) are added to a carrier oil like apricot or almond oil. You can make up your own massage oil from essential oils and a carrier oil, and can use it to massage painful joints twice a day.

Not only do the essential oils smell wonderful, but they’re also very relaxing.

As with massage therapy, it’s best to get advice and a couple of treatments from a professional aromatherapist at the beginning, and then you can continue the treatment with essential oils at home.

Although massage therapy and essential oils massage therapy are not a cure for arthritis, they do relieve the pain. These treatments can also help you to regain and maintain movement in your joints, so that you live your life.

— Next Page »

Copyright © 2007 i Fix Pain Now

Credits: Top Metabolism - boost your metabolism now, lost weight and feel great at any age | Matteo Turchetto | Andreas Viklund