Effective Ankylosing Spondylitis Treatment

To me one of the funniest things about Ankylosing Spondylitis is that most people don't want to know what it is. Even funnier is that those who do know what it is often make their description by pointing out what it isn't. Let me explain.

When I was initially dx'd the doctor gave me a very scientific-sounding explanation and an accompanying handout. It had some basic information on what it was and what to expect.

But more than anything it just told what it wasn't.

For example it did say it was an auto-immune disease. But that it wasn't Crohn's. It wasn't IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). It wasn't fatal, etc. Ironically enough it didn't have much info. on HLA-B27, past medical advice vs. current, or the main ankylosing spondylitis treatment options:

• NSAIDs Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories Naproxen, Diclofinac, etc.
• DMARDs Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine
• Biologics and TNF Blockers Drugs that inhibit the binding of a specific protein
• Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, and Golimumab
• Steroids Mainly Cortisone
  

These medications all have their place (except NSAIDS, those are terrible IMO).

But it would be interesting to know what my reaction would have been had they told me at that time what has proven to be the best medication for me...

EXERCISE!

There are a lot of alternative treatments for ankylosing spondylitis, and yet usually exercise is only mentioned passively as a potential treatment option. Why is that? I have a few theories I'll be discussing in the upcoming days. Until then, make sure you ConquerAS.