The variety of spinal conditions abounds! Your Sandy Springs chiropractor is well aware
of this. Cross Chiropractic Center welcomes them all! For best
relief of pain and limited function, the first step is recognition of the condition then arrange its proper
treatment. Cross Chiropractic Center is experienced in both! This week’s featured
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 often missed as a cause of chronic low back pain while
approximately 1% of the US population experiences it. Traits
of axial spondyloarthritis include 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 features of axial spondyloarthritis
care 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 important as is referral to a
rheumatologist for evaluation and cooperative care. (1)
Not only is axial spondyloarthritis missed in medical offices,
but it is sometimes overlooked in chiropractic practices, too. (2) It’s just not recognized for what it is: an immune-mediated
inflammatory disease. Your Sandy Springs chiropractor is aware and looks for it so that typical lapses of time - sometimes years - will not pass 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 type of axial spondyloarthritis is ankylosing
spondylitis. Spondylitis means inflammation of the vertebrae.
Interdisciplinary management with chiropractic
and medical care with rehabilitation frequently 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 performing. A case of a 30-year-old male first diagnosed at age 12 whose condition, despite medical care, resulted in 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 reacted favorably with some improvement in
pain and flexibility. (4) Another male patient who was 34 years old with a 10-year history of AS was treated for 18 weeks with 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) Cross Chiropractic Center delivers very gentle spinal
manipulation and mobilization in the form of Cox® Technic distraction
decompression. An advanced state of the condition doesn’t
preclude chiropractic care or its subsequent
positive outcomes.
CONTACT Cross Chiropractic Center
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.