Spinal Inflammation: Categorization, signs, detection, and alleviation methods
Spondylitis is an umbrella term for a group of chronic arthritis-type diseases affecting the joints of the spine and sacroiliac region. This article provides an overview of the main types of spondylitis, their causes, symptoms, and treatments.
- Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease often affecting adolescent boys and young men. It is associated with autoimmune and genetic factors, such as a strong association with the HLA-B27 gene. Symptoms begin with chronic lower back pain, stiffness, limited spinal movement, swollen joints, possible spinal fusion, deformity, and sometimes anemia. Treatments focus on medications, physical therapy, occupational therapy, lifestyle changes, and surgery in severe cases.
- Hypertrophic Spondylitis (Osteoarthritis of the Spine)
Hypertrophic spondylitis is a degenerative form occurring mainly in people over 50. It is caused by destruction of intervertebral discs and bone spur growth due to wear and tear. Symptoms typically involve pain and stiffness due to joint degeneration. Treatment mainly includes rest, heat application, and exercises to maintain spinal movement.
- Tuberculous Spondylitis (Pott Disease)
Tuberculous spondylitis is caused by infection of the vertebral column by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Symptoms can include back pain, deformity, and systemic signs of tuberculosis infection. Treatment involves anti-tuberculous antibiotic therapy and sometimes surgery to address abscess or spinal instability.
Other related inflammatory spondyloarthropathies (SpA) include psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, and undifferentiated spondyloarthritis. These share symptoms such as inflammatory back pain, asymmetric joint involvement, enthesitis (inflammation at tendon insertion sites), dactylitis (sausage digits), and may affect eyes and bowel.
In summary, causes range from autoimmune/genetic (ankylosing), degenerative changes (hypertrophic), infectious (tuberculous), or related inflammatory conditions (SpA). Symptoms typically involve back pain, stiffness, and sometimes joint swelling/deformity. Treatments are tailored to the specific type of spondylitis, with anti-inflammatory drugs and biologics for autoimmune types, conservative management for degenerative types, antibiotics for infectious types, and multidisciplinary approaches including physical therapy for all.
References: - Britannica, 2022. Spondylitis. [Online]. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/health/spondylitis - [Hospital Resource 1], 2021. Spondylitis. [Online]. Available at: [Hospital Resource 1 URL] - [Hospital Resource 2], 2020. Spondylitis. [Online]. Available at: [Hospital Resource 2 URL] - [Clinical Overview], 2019. Spondylitis. [Online]. Available at: [Clinical Overview URL]
- Psoriatic Spondylitis is a subtype of inflammatory spondyloarthropathy (SpA) linked to psoriasis, a chronic skin condition characterized by thick, red, scaly patches and silver or white scales on the skin. People with psoriasis may develop psoriatic spondylitis, which causes inflammation in the spine and sacroiliac joints, resulting in back pain, stiffness, swelling, and other joint pain.
- Science continues to establish connections between Alzheimer's and autoimmune diseases, with inflammatory markers common in both conditions. Some researchers propose that spondylitis and other inflammatory medical-conditions could potentially contribute to or worsen symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, although more research is needed to confirm this.
- In cases where spondylitis symptoms are accompanied by an unexplained elevation in Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels, health-and-wellness professionals may consider the presence of other pain, such as lower back pain, hip or thigh pain, and, rarely, blood in the urine, as a sign of a potential prostate-related disease.
- Chronic diseases such as arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and other forms of spondylitis can significantly impact the size and mobility of the intervertebral discs, potential personas with these conditions may require hip or knee replacements, or treatments targeting other joints as a result of the damage to their spinal structures.
