Chiropractic Care of Inflammatory Manahawkin Back Pain
The variety of spinal conditions abounds! Your Manahawkin chiropractor is well aware of this. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center welcomes them all! For best relief of pain and limited function, the first step is recognition of the condition then set up its proper treatment. Manahawkin 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 although approximately 1% of the US population has it. Characteristics of axial spondyloarthritis consist of onset before 45 years old, morning stiffness, improvement with exercise not rest, alternating gluteal pain, and positive 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 toe or finger), 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 key as is a rheumatology referral for evaluation and co-management. (1) Not only is axial spondyloarthritis overlooked in medical practices, 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 Manahawkin chiropractor is aware and looks for it so that typical lapses of time - sometimes years - will not pass between symptom onset and diagnosis. Being a back pain condition, axial spondyloarthritis can be diagnosed and co-treated with chiropractic care for effective 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 medical, chiropractic and rehab frequently works well for these patients in decreasing 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 when he was 12 years old 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 well 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) Manahawkin Chiropractic Center performs very gentle spinal manipulation and mobilization in the form of Cox® Technic distraction decompression. An advanced state of the condition does not preclude chiropractic care or its resultant positive outcomes.
CONTACT Manahawkin 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 managing ankylosing spondylitis.
Set up your Manahawkin chiropractic appointment now. All types of spine-related conditions are accepted!
