Those with the condition often have back pain before the age of 45 years
Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt has opened up about battling axial spondylarthritis, an autoimmune condition where the bones begin to fuse, resulting in a lot of pain. The 56-year-old has also talked about having depression.
“The result is a lot of pain,” he said in an interview with P“Samantha Prabhu has a condition called myositis, which is very close to what I suffer from,” the Raaz director added.
What is axial spondylarthritis?
Axial spondylarthritis, or axSpA, is a type of arthritis that affects the joints in your axial skeleton—the chest, spine, and pelvis. Those with the condition often have back pain before the age of 45 years and may even have stiffness and pain as teens or young adults. According to doctors, this pain can be severe and debilitating.
Inflammation in the condition indicates an unregulated or overactive immune system, which causes joint or soft tissue swelling and damage. Doctors say spondyloarthritis is different from other types of arthritis because it affects other body systems apart from your joints. If you have axSpA, you might experience eye inflammation, diarrhoea, and other problems that are unrelated to joint pain.
Statistics say it affects around 1 per cent of people across the world—equally in men and women.
What causes axSpA?
According to doctors, AxSpA is usually hereditary and often runs in families. Most people with axSpA have a gene called HLA-B27; however, some people who get the condition do not have this gene or a family history of the condition. Many people with the HLA-B27 gene also do not get axSpA.
Signs and symptoms of axial spondyloarthritis
The most common symptom of axSpA is back pain, which is:
- Chronic as it lasts more than three months
- Is not caused by an injury or mechanical problem like a slipped disk or muscle spasm
- If you have axSpA, your back pain may:
- Feel better when you exercise or move around
- Get worse at night or during rest
- Occur with back stiffness, especially in the morning
- Spread to your hips
According to experts, the inflammation from axSpA also affects other systems in your body:
- Digestive issues such as diarrhoea
- Fatigue and extreme tiredness
- Swelling, calcification, and bone spurs
- Dactylitis or inflammation of fingers and toes
- Psoriasis
- Uveitis or inflammation of the eyes
Can axial spondyloarthritis be treated?
While there is no cure for axSpA, doctors say there are treatment methods that can help you get relief from symptoms and improve your quality of life. A few of these include:
Anti-inflammatory drugs
Your doctor can suggest you take over-the-counter or OTC medications, known as NSAIDs, which help relieve pain and decrease inflammation.
Physical therapy
A physical therapist can help you get special exercises designed for your needs that relieve pain and increase your flexibility and strength.
Steroid injections
Corticosteroid medicines help fight pain and inflammation.
Biologics
These medications help control inflammation by targeting your immune system. However, despite being effective, biologics can have potential side effects, like a higher risk of infections.
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