Bechterew's disease, what is it and how to treat it?

What is it? Bekhterev's disease is a pathological process of chronic course, during which the joint tissue and internal organs are affected. Another name for this ailment is ankylosing spondylitis.

Precise causes of the development of Bechterew's disease have not been established, but physicians have identified a number of factors that can give an impetus to Bechterew's disease:

1. Immunity decline, autoimmune diseases - the thymus starts to produce antibodies that subsequently destroy the body's own cells;
2. Genetic predisposition - if there were cases of ankylosing spondylitis in the genus, then the disease can be transmitted to descendants with high probability;
3. Postponed infections( viral, bacterial, including sexually transmitted infections).

Bechterew's disease, what is it and how to treat it?

For a correct understanding of what Bekhterev's disease is and how to treat it, we will consider the mechanism of the development of the disease, for this we will go into anatomy a little.

The motor capacity of the spine is provided by intervertebral discs. Each vertebra has 2 pairs of processes - lower and upper, with each other the vertebrae are connected by joints, from which the ligaments and muscles leave.

With the development of the disease in the articular tissue of the vertebrae, as well as in the intervertebral discs and tendons of the spinal column, an inflammatory process begins. As the disease progresses, the affected tissues of the spine are replaced by a connective tissue that does not perform any functions in the body.

As a result of tissue replacement, the vertebral column loses its physiological mobility and shape.

Depending on the location of the pathological process, several forms of Bechterew's disease are distinguished:

• Central - only vertebrae are affected;
• Rhizome - the pathological process extends to the pelvis and the humerus;
• Peripheral - the knee joints and joints of the foot are involved in the pathological process;
• Scandinavian - pathological process is localized in small joints, in particular the joints of the hands, which often leads to the formulation of an incorrect diagnosis - rheumatoid polyarthritis.

Symptoms and methods of treatment depend on the form of the disease. Let's consider in detail.

Symptoms of Bechterew's disease in women and men in stages

According to medical statistics, Bechterew's disease in men is more common than in women. Depending on the severity of clinical signs of pathology, the following stages of the disease are distinguished:

1. Initial;
2. Stage of clinical manifestations;
3. Finishing.

The first stage of the disease is characterized by the appearance of the following symptoms:

• Stiffness of movements in the spine, developing after awakening and a long stay in one posture that passes after performing gymnastic exercises;
• Pain and discomfort in the sacrum, thighs;
• Pains in the thoracic region in a circle, intensifying during coughing, deep inspiration;
• Feeling of lack of air, a feeling of pressure in the chest;
• Rapid fatigue, reduced performance.

At the second stage of the disease, the clinical symptoms are as follows:

• Painful sensations in the back that are amplified at night and at the slightest physical exertion;
• Muscle pains - there are shooting sensations in the back, hips, which are caused by the infringement of the nerve roots.

At the late stage of Bechterew's disease, the following clinical symptoms occur:

• Symptomatics of infringement and inflammation of the nerve roots leaving the spinal cord - tingling in the back, a violation of sensitivity, numbness, decreased muscle tone, muscle atrophy;
• Disturbance of cerebral circulation as a result of infringement of blood vessels of the cervical vertebral column by deformed vertebrae. The patient is concerned about headaches, dizziness, stuffiness of the ears, irritability, decreased efficiency, drowsiness, palpitations, weakness;
• Disturbance of breathing - develops as a result of insufficient mobility of the chest, pressure on the lungs, heart;
• Blood pressure jumps;
• Deformation of posture - the patient forms a "hump".

Symptoms of Bechterew's disease in women are important to differentiate with other diseases, as the clinical picture in some of them is similar, for example, pelvic pain can signal the development of symphysitis.

Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis

When back pain is not recommended to self-medicate the disease, lost time allows the progression of the disease.

How to treat Bekhterev's disease depends on the stage of the development of the disease, therefore, the first thing when going to the clinic the doctor will perform a primary examination, will collect an anamnesis of the life and illness of the patient. Then he will prescribe additional studies to accurately diagnose and differentiate spondylitis from polyarthritis.

Informative studies are radiography, CT, MRI, blood biochemistry( draw the removal of the C-reactive protein that appears in the body in inflammatory processes).

To assess the damage to the internal organs, ultrasound is also prescribed, a snapshot of the lungs if necessary, a cardiogram of the heart. Based on the results of the study, an adequate treatment is prescribed.

The prognosis for life with Bechterew's disease is favorable if the pathology was detected at the earliest stage of development.

Special physical exercises, physiotherapeutic methods of treatment and massages can significantly improve the quality of life of the patient, but in general the disease is incurable, and it is impossible to completely get rid of it.

• During an exacerbation to eliminate signs of inflammation in the joints and pain, the patient is prescribed drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Nurofen, Ibupen, Ibuprofen.
• In severe cases, the appointment of Prednisolone is injectable for the rapid relief of exacerbation.

After normalization of the general condition and achievement of remission for fixing the result, the patient is recommended to sanatorium-and-spa treatment.

If the internal organs are disturbed as a result of deformation of the spinal column, patients undergo surgical intervention aimed at straightening the spine. If necessary, endoprosthetics of deformed joints are performed.

Complications of ankylosing spondylitis are violations in the work of internal organs, development of muscle atrophy, immobilization of the spinal column.

Disability with Bechterew's disease is given to the patient in the event that he can not practically service himself.

To which doctor should I apply?

Diagnosis and treatment of ankylosing spondylitis are performed by specialists:

• Therapist;
• Vertebrologist is a doctor specializing in vertebral diseases;
• Orthopedic;
• Rheumatologist.

Bechterew's disease: ICD code 10

• Code of ankylosing spondylitis on ICD 10 - M45.