The variety of spinal conditions abounds! Your Ashburn chiropractor is well aware
of this. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn welcomes them all! For optimal
relief of pain and limited function, the first step is recognition of the condition then set up its proper
treatment. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn is experienced in both! This week’s highlighted
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 commonly 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 insertion 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. Early diagnosis
is vital as is referral to a
rheumatologist for evaluation and co-management. (1)
Not only is axial spondyloarthritis missed in medical practices,
but it’s sometimes overlooked in chiropractic offices, too. (2) It’s just not recognized for what it is: an immune-mediated
inflammatory disease. Your Ashburn chiropractor is aware and looks for it so that typical lapses of time - sometimes years - will not go by between symptom onset and diagnosis. Since it’s
a back pain condition, axial spondyloarthritis can be diagnosed and co-managed
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 often works well for
these patients in reducing their symptoms and improving
musculoskeletal function. (3) Treating this condition calls for
gentle care that certified Cox® Technic chiropractic physicians are good
in performing. A case of a 30-year-old male first diagnosed when
he was 12 years old whose condition, despite medical care, led
to fusion of his sacroiliac joints and his
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 responded favorably with some improvement in
pain and flexibility. (4) Another male patient aged 34
years with a 10-year history of AS underwent
18 weeks of chiropractic spinal manipulation and mobilization. This resulted in a 90% improvement in a disease activity index and an 85%
improvement in a functional index from beginning to end.
(5) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn offers 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 resulting
good outcomes.
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
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 managing ankylosing
spondylitis.