Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis characterized by pain and inflammation of the spine and pelvic region. This condition can also cause sections of the spine to grow and fuse together, resulting in stiffness and immobility.
There’s no cure for AS, but medications or Ankylosing spondylitis ayurvedic treatment can help you manage your symptoms. Certain lifestyle choices may worsen your symptoms, though, even if you take prescription medication to improve your quality of life.
Sedentary Lifestyle
When you’re living with chronic back pain, exercise may seem impossible. However, leading a sedentary lifestyle can aggravate symptoms. Physical activity can help improve joint flexibility and reduce the pain and stiffness caused by AS.
You do not have to engage in high impact activity to feel better but consider adding some form of physical activity to your daily or weekly schedule.
Aim for about 30 minutes of activity at least 5 days a week. Activities you can try include:
- Swimming
- Biking
- Walking
- Strength training, such as Pilates, tai chi, or yoga
Ask your doctor for recommendations before beginning an exercise regimen.
Poor Posture
Poor posture can also worsen AS.
On the other hand, keeping your body properly aligned can:
- Alleviate pain
- Strengthen your back muscles
- Help prevent anterior flexion deformity, where your spine is fixed in a stooped position
- Resolve to practice good posture, whether you’re sitting or standing.
When sitting in a chair, your back should be straight, your shoulders should be back, and your buttocks should be touching the back of your chair. Keep your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor.
Practice good posture while standing the old-fashioned way: Walk around with a book on your head. This teaches you how to stand tall with your body aligned.
Smoking
Researchers have found a link between smoking and disease activity in people with AS.
For instance, a small 2015 study followed a total of 30 people living with AS, both nonsmokers and smokers. According to the researchers, when compared with their nonsmoking counterparts, smokers with AS reported:
- Longer bouts of morning stiffness
- Less spinal mobility
- Less chest expansion
- Higher disease activity, as measured by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI)
- A poorer quality of life
This could be due to the inflammatory effect smoking has on the body.
Doing too Much
Because AS can cause inflammation, stiffness, and joint pain, it’s important that you do not overdo it and learn how to recognize your limitations.
Failure to pace yourself could result in burnout, or you might engage in activities that put too much strain on your joints. This can make it harder for your body to recover and even trigger long-term stiffness and joint immobility.
So while activity is recommended, pace yourself. Listen to your body and rest when you feel tired or burnt out.
Not taking medication as directed
There’s no cure for AS, so you may need ongoing medication therapy to help manage your symptoms. Your doctor will recommend medication and dosages based on your individual condition. It’s important to take your medication as directed to slow disease progression, so try not to skip doses.
If you feel that your medication is not improving your condition, speak with your doctor. They may need to adjust your dosage or recommend a different type of medication.
These are some of the major things which are worsening your Ankylosing Spondylitis. For the better treatment you can take the help of ayurvedic treatment. Three factors form the basis of the Ayurvedic approach to treating AS.
- Halting the spread of the illness by eliminating pollutants.
- Reducing joint inflammatory disease
- Preventing joint fusion.
