Ankylosing Spondylitis and Alternative Medicine

 Ankolysing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory joint disease, characterized by stiffening and fusion of the spine and sacroiliac joints.The sacroiliac and girdle joints are more likely to be affected to a greater degree than the peripheral joints, however,  ankolysing spondylitis in females  more often affects the peripheral joints of the appendicular system (shoulder, upper extremities, pelvis,lower extremities), rather than the axial skeleton (skull, vertebral column).

The progress and severity of the disease differs between the sexes, with males experiencing a more rapid progress of the disease, with greater severity, and more obvious deformity than the female, in most cases.

The onset of ankolysing spondylitis usually develops in the late teens and peaks at age twenty.

The most common signs and symptoms of the onset of ankylosing spondylitis are low back pain and stiffness. The pain may be mild and infrequent at first, gradually becoming persistent, mostly worse after prolonged rest, and better after exercise.Sitting up or twisting the spine becomes increasingly difficult.

Progression of the disease becomes apparent when the normal curvature of the lower spine is lost, and concavity of the upper spine increases, and so the person becomes increasingly stooped, (bamboo spine).

Like rheumatoid arthritis, it's an inflammatory  systemic disease, cause unknown,with no medical cure, its only treatment being with anti inflammatories, and analgesic medication, neither of which halt the progression of the disease, sometimes surgery is used.

Avoiding deformity and maintaining mobility requires a program of continuous exercise, which may be repeated a number of times during the day, and repeated forever after. These exercises are important in order to maintain chest expansion, full extension of the spine, and complete range of motion in proximal joints.

Exactly what causes the spine to become rigid is firstly the initial inflammatory process which occurs in the fibrous tissue of the joint capsule, the cartilage that surrounds the intervertebral discs, entheses, and periosteum.

This inflammatory process erodes bone, and cartilage in joints, it's the repair process which causes the disability. The scar tissue is replaced by calcification, and ossification which then causes the joints to fuse and lose flexibility.

Alternative Medical  Treatments

Chinese medicine would look at this disease as being a wind damp condition, either wind-cold, or wind-hot.The wind-cold condition is treated with warming medicines, such as ginger root,angelica root, cinnamon,while the wind-hot condition is treated with gentian root , cork tree bark, or acupuncture.

It seems that arthritis is not as common in China as it is in the West, this is attributed to the fact that they have a much more active lifestyle, and generally have a better diet than their Western counterparts.

 There are a number of herbs which can be used to treat arthritis , apart from ginger which has already been mentioned .However, it would be best to have the advice of a herbalist on this matter, for some herbs may not be compatible with any medication which the person may be taking.Moreover, the herbalist has the skill and knowledge to be able to choose appropriate herbs for the individual patient, it's not necessarily a case of one size fits all. Relatively safe herbs to take would be nettle, meadowsweet,and  devil's claw.

An homoeopath would treat this with a well chosen remedy, after a lengthy case had been taken, and a positive result could be expected depending on how far advanced the disease was.Unfortuately people often seek the services of a alternative medical  practitioner as a last resort, rather than investigating their options in the initial stage of their disease.Considering this disease from a non classical homeopathic point of view Dr Parimal Banerji of Calcutta has treated successfully many cases of ankylosing spondylitis with Calcarea carbonica 200c, that is as long as the disease is in it's initial stages.

The diet for a person with arthritis should consist of fresh organic vegetables, and fruit,very limited quantities of meat and other proteins, better not at all, eliminate sugar and refined products, alcohol, salt, and avoid foods high in oxalic acid, such as spinach, rhubarb, cranberry, and plums. Vegetables from the nightshade family could be a problem for some, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, and potatoes. Eliminate saturated fats, sugar substitutes and all fast foods and refined products.

Add to your diet one of these oils,flaxseed, borage , evening primrose or hemp oil ,all contain GLA, and it's the anti-inflammatory properties of these oils which are needed for your condition. Wheat and barley grass would be healthy additions to the diet, and persons with arthritis would benefit greatly from a regular intake of both of these grasses.They are a rich source of vitamins, and minerals, wheatgrass has powerful antiinflammatory properties, and greatly assists the reduction of pain and swelling.

Tissue salts for arthritis would be Silica, which would be used as a calcium reorganizer, calcium fluoride to break down nodosities, sodium phosphate to rid the system of the build up of metabolic acid,magnesium phos to relieve pain, ferrum phos to relieve inflammation, potassium chloride to relieve congestion, and swelling.

Acceptance of your disease as incurable  may be even more destructive than the drugs you are taking to relieve the condition. Surely the better option would be to look further than your nose for a healthy outcome, a simple dietary change may be all that is needed to convince you that arthritis can be relieved in some cases by very simple natural measures. Read more:Juvenile Chronic Arthritis

 References:Govan/McFarlane/Callander, Pathology Illustrated thrid edition Published Churchill Livingstone 1981.

McCance Kathryn L & Huether Sue e, Pathphysiology, The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children. Published The C.V. Mosby Company.1990.

Forbes,Charles & Jackson William. Color Atlas and Text of Clinical Medicine 2nd edition published Mosby-Wolf 1997.

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