Ankylosing spondylitis
- How to prevent?
How is ankylosing spondylitis prevented?
There is no way to prevent it but one can lessen the seriousness of the disorder by actively participating in physical activity and avoiding smoking. An active lifestyle helps to maintain mobility of the spine and neck, which prevents them from getting stiff in a bent position.
Smoking has been shown to result in greater spinal fusion, a complication of ankylosing spondylitis. Furthermore, patients with ankylosing spondylitis can have greater difficulty breathing due to reduced movements of their rib cage, and smoking can compound this problem by causing further lung injury.
Patients often have back pain due to immobility, and this can be especially bad at night. Mattresses that provide enough support for sleeping will greatly reduce this discomfort. Also, patients often experience heel pain due to their disease and use of gel-heel cushions in their shoes will reduce discomfort when walking and exercising.
Acupuncture can be helpful to relieve the pain. There are no food restrictions and one should have a healthy and well-balanced diet.