Symptoms and treatment of Bekhterev's disease in men and women
Symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis in men and women, its treatment and prevention are one of the most important problems in modern traumatology and orthopedics. The pathology is also called Strümpel-Bechterev-Marie disease, or Bechterev's disease for short.
In this pathology, there is a systemic inflammatory lesion of the joints, mostly not gross. At the same time, mostly compromised:
- sacroiliac joints;
- intervertebral joints;
- connections of the clavicles and ribs to the sternum.
Since inflammation in the intervertebral joints provokes their fusion, the disability group with Bechterev's disease is a frequent consequence of the disease, which prevents the patient from socializing to the fullest.
Initially, pain and stiffness occur in the lumbar spine, then increasingly spread to the rest of the spine. With further progression, the spinal column curves in the thoracic region. The number of movements, both active and passive, decreases, and eventually the spine becomes immobile.
The disease mostly affects people at a young age - from 20 to 30 years, although there is evidence of incidence in adolescence - from 15 years. Men get sick 5 times (according to other sources - 9 times) more often than women. The prognosis for life in patients with Bechterew's disease is not critical, which cannot be said about the prognosis for health - the disease cannot be cured completely.
Causes of the disease
Until now, the exact causes of Bechterew's disease remain unknown. It is believed that immune cells react to the tissues of their own ligaments and joints as “strangers” and behave aggressively towards them - it is because of such actions of the lesion that joint pain develops in Bechterew's disease. There are also known factors that provoke the development of ankylosing spondylitis:
- certain strains of Klebsiella, as well as some other varieties of enterobacteria;
- family predisposition;
- disorders of the endocrine system.
The immediate impetus for the development of the disease is:
- banal hypothermia;
- infectious disease, both acute and chronic;
- traumatic injury to the spinal column and/or pelvis.
Before treating Bekhterev's disease, it is necessary to determine its trigger mechanism in each case. If the provoking factor is not eliminated, the fight against the disease will be unsuccessful.
Joint pain in Bechterev's disease and other symptoms
Symptoms in the early period are caused by disorders of the spinal ligaments. They develop:
- pain in the sacral and lumbar region;
- constant stiffness during movements;
- tense state of the spinal muscles.
These signs occur at rest, especially at night.
Symptoms decrease with physical activity. Therefore, it is mandatory to do gymnastic exercises (exercise therapy) for Bechterev's disease.
During the development of the pathology, the following are observed
- spread of pain throughout the spinal column;
- pain and increased mobility in the hip joints;
- curvature of the spine.
With the further development of Bechterev's disease, the following are recorded
- ankylosing (immobility) of intervertebral joints;
- restriction of chest mobility;
- reduction of height.
A peripheral form of the disease can also develop, with large joints affected:
- elbow
- knee joints
- ankle joints.
Before treating Bechterev's disease, it is necessary to find out whether there are any extra-articular manifestations. These are:
- iritis - inflammation of the iris of the eyeball;
- iridocyclitis is a simultaneous inflammation of the iris and ciliary body;
- aortitis is an inflammatory lesion of the aortic walls;
- aortic valve insufficiency;
- pericarditis is an inflammation of the heart lining;
- heart rhythm disorders;
- renal amyloidosis - formation of a protein-polysaccharide complex in the renal parenchyma.
How to treat Bechterev's disease
It is impossible to completely cure the disease, but with the help of conservative therapy it is possible to
- reduce inflammation;
- relieve pain syndrome.
Treatment of Bechterev's disease in women and men is based on the following prescriptions
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
- glucocorticoids (they, like NSAIDs, also have anti-inflammatory effects)
- immunosuppressants;
- drugs that are biological modifiers (correctors) of the immune response.
The use of non-drug therapies also gives good results:
- relieving stress on the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine;
- physiotherapy - it is used only during remission;
- sanatorium treatment. Mud therapy and balneotherapy are successfully practiced in sanatoriums for patients with Bechterev's disease;
- breathing exercises to counteract chest immobility;
- therapeutic gymnastics.
The patient should sleep on a hard bed. To prevent the development of cervical lordosis, the pillow and the roller placed under the neck should be removed.
On our website Dobrobut.com you will find more information about the disease described - in particular, you will find out how the doctor diagnoses and determines the stage of Bechterev's disease, what additional methods of examination and modern methods of treatment are used for this disease.
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