Ankylosing spondylitis, also referred to as rheumatic spondylitis, is a progressive, systemic, rheumatic disease which causes inflammation and pain in the tendons, joints and ligaments. Ankylosing spondilytis most often affects the spine but it may also affect other areas such as the heart, lungs, bowl and eyes.

Many people question whether ankylosing spondylitis and glucosamine and/or chondroitin work well together. Because ankylosing spondylitis is not associated with degenerative bone loss, chondroitin and glucosamine do not offer the benefits that they do for osteoarthritis.

Anti inflammatory herbs and anti inflammatory supplements, on the other hand, might offer solid benefit.

The Arthritis Strategy Pack offers a natural approach to many arthritis types, including ankylosing spondilytis,  spondylosis lumbar problems, scleroderma symptoms and osteoarthritis. The Arthritis Strategy Pack is a protocol that provides inflammation and pain relief from the inside out by combining dual treatment modalities.

Ankylosing (rheumatic) spondylitis is a condition in which inflammation occurs in the place where tendons and ligaments meet the bones followed by bone loss in the area of inflammation, and new bone formation which causes the vertebrae to merge together causing pain, stiffness and loss of movement. This rheumatic spondylitis usually starts affecting the pelvis followed by the lower back, chest wall and neck.

However, these areas can be affected at different times or not at all. Sometimes ankylosing spondilytis is associated with the scaly red skin disease called psoriasis. It is also may accompany diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or Reiter’s syndrome. It is also a systemic disease which may affect the whole body, causing fever, appetite loss, fatigue and damage to organs such as the lungs, heart, eyes and joints.

The time when Ankylosing spondilytis is most likely to first appear is when the patient is in his late teens or early twenties. The average age that a person develops ankylosing spondylitis is age 24. Three times as many men get ankylosing spondylitis than women. In children, ankylosing spondylitis most often affects the buttocks, hips, knees, feet and ankles. Rarely do children with ankylosing spondylitis develop back problems. However, it is common that they develop hip disease which may require surgery to replace the hip.

 usually does not occur in children until they are over age 11. When ankylosing spondylitis affects men, it most often strikes the spine and pelvis but sometimes strikes the shoulders, feet or chest wall. When ankylosing spondylitis affects women, it most often strikes the pelvis, knees, hips, ankles and wrists. The spine is not often affected by ankylosing spondylitis in women

People who have Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or other inflammatory bowel diseases are more likely to develop ankylosing spondylitis.

There may be a heredity link to the development of ankylosing spondylitis. Most people with ankylosing spondylitis have the genetic marker called HLA-B27. This is only part of the story, however, because about 80 percent of those who have HLA-B27 never develop ankylosing spondylitis. It is not known what causes some people with HLA-B27 to get ankylosing spondylitis and others will not. About one out of five people with ankylosing spondylitis have a family member with the disease.

The symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis include a gradual development of back pain and stiffness that gets worse over a few weeks or months and is worse in the morning and improves over the course of the day or after exercise, symptoms that last for more than three months, extreme tiredness, and unexplained weight loss at the onset of the disease, fever and night sweats. When ankylosing spondylitis affects the eyes (this happens in one out of four patients), the symptoms are red, painful eyes that are light sensitive.

Rheumatic spondylitis progresses over time as bones gradually grow together from the inflammation and healing processes of the diseases. Bone fusion causes a loss of movement and stiffness until the entire spine becomes inflexible. The disease may also progress to cause a difficulty in expanding the chest while breathing. Ankylosing spondylitis may progress to the hips, knees, ankles and shoulders, making mobility difficult and painful. Mobility may be lost entirely. When ankylosing spondylitis affects the heels, the patient may have trouble standing or walking.

When ankylosing spondylitis has been progressing for many years, heart and lung problems may also develop. One particularly serious problem caused by ankylosing spondylitis is enlargement of the aorta.

The treatment for ankylosing spondylitis includes surgery, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), pain killers, body posture, and exercise. Treatment will be individualized for the patient depending on the severity of the disease and the symptoms present. Surgery is used in ankylosing spondylitis patients when the hip needs replacement. Only about six percent of patients with ankylosing spondylitis need this surgery, however. In extremely rare cases, surgery to straighten the spine may be necessary.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used by over 80 percent of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. NSAIDs reduce inflammation and give the patient respite from the pain. Some people with ankylosing spondylitis prefer to simply take pain killers.

Ankylosing spondylitis can often be controlled with exercise and proper posture.

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