What to do with ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a common clinical disease whose cause is still unclear. At present, it is believed to be caused by genetic factors, environmental factors, infectious factors, immune factors and other factors. Ankylosing spondylitis is a multi-gene genetic disease, and the main susceptibility gene is HLA-B27; the disease may also be associated with infection with pathogens such as Shigella, Salmonella, and Yersinia coli. These pathogens stimulate the body's inflammation and immune response, easily causing tissue damage, leading to the occurrence of the disease. Ankylosing spondylitis is very harmful to the human body and should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. The commonly used treatments are as follows.

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used drugs for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, mainly including celecoxib, diclofenac, etc., which can significantly improve symptoms such as morning stiffness, joint swelling, and pain.

2. Anti-TNF antagonist treatment: Anti-TNF antagonists mainly include etanercept, adalimumab, etc., which are usually suitable for patients who are ineffective with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and have extra-articular symptoms such as iritis.

3. Hormone drug treatment: After the disease occurs, if the patient has acute uveitis and muscular arthritis, local direct injection of corticosteroids can be considered, which can significantly improve related symptoms.

4. Anti-rheumatic drug treatment: Ankylosing spondylitis can also be treated with anti-rheumatic drugs. Anti-rheumatic drugs mainly include methotrexate and sulfasalazine, which are mainly used for patients with contraindications to anti-TNF antagonists.

5. Surgical treatment: After the disease occurs, if the patient has hip joint lesions, total hip replacement should be considered; if the patient has severe disability and deformity, spinal correction treatment can be considered.

As mentioned above, the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis generally does not affect its lifespan, but it will affect the patient's normal life and work, and even cause disability. With timely and correct treatment, the prognosis of ankylosing spondylitis is relatively good, which can not only improve or eliminate related symptoms, but also effectively reduce the risk of severe spinal and joint deformities.