It is different from normal back pain. After waking up in the morning, lower back stiffness continues for more than 30 minutes, and the pain disappears only when moving. It is most common in young men in their late teens and early 20s. Starting at the hips and working its way up to the waist, chest and neck, the spine hardens into whole bone like bamboo. It is called stiffness because the broken spine is strongly deformed. Learn about “Ankylosing Spondylitis,” a disease that silently destroys life.
Ankylosing spondylitis is common in young peopleㅣSource: Getty Image Bank
What is ankylosing spondylitis, which has increased by 27.7% in 5 years?
Ankylosing spondylitis is not a problem of simple back pain that gets better with rest, like a herniated disc. “Stiffness” means that joint changes occur after a long period of inflammation, resulting in slower joint movement. Spondylitis is inflammation of the spine. In other words, “ankylosing spondylitis” is a chronic inflammatory disease in which inflammation appears in the spine and it becomes stiff. In addition to the spine, it can also occur in the hip, knee and shoulder. Unlike other spinal diseases that occur in middle-aged and older people, awareness of symptoms is very low and often overlooked.
However, according to data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients is steadily increasing every year. The number of patients which was 40,064 in 2016 has increased steadily every year and registered 51,106 in 2021. This is an increase of 27.7% in 5 years. Additionally, as of 2020, male patients (34,891) were 2 to 2.5 times higher than female patients (13,370).
Park Jin-soo, professor of rheumatology at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, said: ‘Men have more severe symptoms than women, and the onset time is about 2 to 3 years earlier, but the reason is unknown. believes it is related to sex hormones as well as genetic factors,” he explained.
The cause of ankylosing spondylitis has not yet been clearly identified, but it appears to be related to genetic factors. In actual patients, the genetic factor ‘HLA-B27’ appears, which is not easily seen in others. However, even if you have it, ankylosing spondylitis doesn’t necessarily occur, and only 1-2% of benign cases develop. In addition to genetic factors, various causes such as environmental factors or increased immune responses influence the occurrence of ankylosing spondylitis.
Unwanted young guests ‘ankylosing spondylitis’, it’s not just back pain
Ankylosing spondylitis is difficult to prevent, but early diagnosis and treatment can prevent spinal deformity and ankylosis. Symptoms vary from person to person, but the most common is back pain. In the early stages of symptoms, the pain begins slowly in the lower back or hip area and is accompanied by a stiff “morning stiffness” when you wake up in the morning. It can be mistaken for simple muscle pain, disc pain, menstrual cramps, etc., so there are cases where the disease develops or the timing of treatment is missed. Back pain is characterized by improved movement and stiffness when the patient is stationary.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect any part of the body. In other words, it’s not just back pain. According to the Korean Society of Rheumatology, in addition to the spine, the joints in one leg can be swollen or painful, and pain can occur in the heel and ribs. Depending on the patient, leg symptoms may appear earlier than spine symptoms, so attention is needed.
In some cases, chest pain occurs first without spinal symptoms. Ankylosing spondylitis can cause inflammation of the area where the ligament attaches to the bone. Inflammation of the rib cartilage can cause chest pain. Also, shortness of breath or a cough may occur if the lungs cannot expand due to stiff ribs.
Ankylosing spondylitis is not a simple spinal disease, but an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune cells attack the spinal joints as well as the immune system, so symptoms can appear in areas other than the joints.
The most common disease is uveitis. Symptoms may include red, sore or watery eyes, double vision, or blurred vision from bright lights. Also, when inflammation occurs in the mucous membrane, symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, indigestion, and bloody stools may appear, and psoriasis may occur.
Regular stretching and smoking cessation help
Spinal joints once deformed by ankylosing spondylitis do not recover their original state. Therefore, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible when ankylosing spondylitis is suspected. If treatment is started early, it is possible to lead a normal daily life by slowing the progression of the disease and preventing further worsening of symptoms.
Ankylosing spondylitis is treated primarily with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation and eliminate pain. Recently, considering the effect of suppressing spinal deformity, it is treated with a biological injection called “tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor”. Because it treats inflammation by blocking the action of TNF-alpha, which is the cause of the disease, it quickly improves pain.
To enhance the effect of the treatment, it is good to combine medication and exercise. Exercises recommended by the Korean Society of Rheumatology include stretching, swimming and cycling. Stretching is helpful in stretching the neck, shoulder, torso, waist and hip joints as much as possible. Regular stretching can help relieve pain.
“Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease that requires constant management, and it’s important to stretch frequently to maintain joint flexibility and maintain good posture,” said Song Sang-ho (Welton Hospital), a rheumatology consultant at Haidak. “Swimming is also an aerobic exercise that doesn’t put any strain on the joints, but caution is needed if there is a neck deformity.
Lifestyle is also important. Avoid lying down or sitting in too soft a place for a long time, and smokers should quit smoking right away. Smoking is very dangerous, especially if spinal stiffness has already progressed. This is because cigarettes not only have a negative effect on the lungs, but can also further reduce lung capacity due to stiffness.
Assistant = Director Song Sang-ho, medical consultant at Haidak (rheumatology specialist at Welton Hospital)
<저작권©언론사 하이닥, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지>
