The variety of spinal conditions abounds! Your Fort Wayne chiropractor is in the know. Aaron Chiropractic Clinic welcomes them all! For best
relief of pain and limited function, the initial step is recognition of the condition then set up its proper
treatment. Aaron Chiropractic Clinic is experienced in both! This week’s highlighted
condition is inflammatory back pain, axial spondyloarthritis, and the spine-specific
kind, ankylosing spondylitis.
AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS
Axial spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory back pain condition.
It is commonly missed as a cause of chronic low back pain although
approximately 1% of the US population experiences it. Characteristics
of axial spondyloarthritis consist of onset before 45 years of
age, morning stiffness, improvement with exercise not rest, alternating
gluteal pain, and good response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drug treatment. Other characteristics of axial spondyloarthritis
involve enthesitis (inflammation of tendons and ligaments insertion 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. Early diagnosis
is key as is a rheumatology referral for evaluation and co-management. (1)
Not only is axial spondyloarthritis overlooked in medical practices,
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 Fort Wayne chiropractor is aware and looks for it so that typical lapses of time - sometimes years - will not pass between symptom onset and diagnosis. Being
a back pain condition, axial spondyloarthritis can be diagnosed and co-managed
with chiropractic care for effective outcomes.
ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS: A SUBSET OF AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS
SPECIFIC TO THE SPINE
One type of axial spondyloarthritis is ankylosing
spondylitis. Spondylitis means inflammation of the vertebrae.
Interdisciplinary management with medical, chiropractic and rehab often works well for
these patients in reducing their symptoms and increasing
musculoskeletal function. (3) Treating this condition calls for
gentle care that certified Cox® Technic chiropractic physicians are experienced
in delivering. A case of a 30-year-old male first diagnosed when
he was 12 years old whose condition, despite medical care, led
to fusion of his sacroiliac joints as well as
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 well with some improvement in
pain and flexibility. (4) Another male patient aged 34
years with a 10-year history of AS was treated for 18 weeks with chiropractic spinal manipulation and mobilization. This resulted in a 90% improvement in a disease activity index and an 85%
improvement in a functional index from start to finish.
(5) Aaron Chiropractic Clinic offers very gentle spinal
manipulation and mobilization in the form of Cox® Technic distraction
decompression. An advanced type of the condition doesn’t
preclude chiropractic care or its subsequent
good outcomes.
CONTACT Aaron Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Gabriel Monterrubio on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson. He discusses his use of the Cox®
Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for treating ankylosing
spondylitis.