Spondylitis

Spondylitis (from the Greek “spondylos” meaning “vertebra”) is an inflammation of the spine. It is also known as “Spondyloarthritis”. More broadly the name is used to describe a series of inflammatory conditions in different parts of the body. We have sub classifications such as Peripheral Spondyloarthritis which affects joints and tendons. We have Axial Spondyloarthritis, that can affect the pelvis and/or the back. There are several such sub classifications.
The cause of Spondylitis is not known but it can be observed that it is more prevalent with people who are obese or at least overweight, people who smoke or who drink a lot of alcohol, people who take insufficient exercise, people who already have some other kind of back problem.
Spondylitis is quite different from back pain that results from a physical injury to the spine. It rather comes from inflammation of the spinal joints.

Symptoms

Pain and stiffness anywhere from the neck down to the buttocks that lasts for more than three months.
A hunched back
Tendonitis
Discomfort in the morning or after periods of inactivity that reduces when one starts to move
Loss of flexibility in the spine
Bony fusion (can severely disrupt normal daily activity)
Sometimes eye inflammation that can be painful

Treatments

Most treatments for spondylitis are in respect of managing the pain and inflammation of the condition and can be a mixture of medication, exercise and good posture and in some cases physiotherapy. These can also assist with preventing or slowing up stiffening and fusing of the bones and joints.

Posture

As the spine is affected in most cases of spondylitis then good posture is one of the first and foremost therapies that can be put into practice and usually this will be advised along with exercises that are aimed at keeping the body active and avoiding it stiffening up which can be the main cause of pain.

Exercise

It is a personal choice as to whether you exercise on an individual basis or join a group but your medical practitioner or physiotherapist can advise on the sort of exercise you require. They may also advise that having a massage can assist with stiffness and of course doing exercise in a warm swimming or hydrotherapy pool is always going to be very beneficial as it takes pressure off of your joints and is a relaxing environment to move about in.

Pain Relief

You are likely to be prescribed some form of pain relief to help when the pain is too severe to manage or a long term prescription to mainly reduce inflammation. These medications will be of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) kind such as diclofanec, ibuprofen or naproxen and it may take a bit of trial and tribulation to find which works best at the lowest dose for each individual. Monitoring will take place on a regular basis to ensure how effective it is and whether it needs increasing or changing.

If you cannot take NSAIDs then paracetamol or the stronger painkiller codeine may be prescribed instead.

Spondylitis

At times it may also be necessary for Corticosteroids to be prescribed and these normally take the form of an injection into the affected joint. These are fast acting and very strong and can have side-affects so are usually only given at three month intervals and for when standard pain and inflammation relief are not enough for a highly inflamed joint. It also requires the joint to be rested up for about forty eight hours after the injection.

Surgery

Surgery is not usually required directly as a treatment for Spondylitis as it is an inflammatory disease but due to the deterioration of the joints that can occur because of this disease or severe pain, joint replacement surgery may be recommended.

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