What is typical treatment for Ankylosing Spondylitis for someone in mid to late 20s?

Question

I'm looking for common paths of treatment for someone who has been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis @ 27 years of age.
HLA B27 positive
Sed rate of 21

Pain started lower back, moved to hips, moved down legs and over the course of three years has spread to upper back. Some pain when breathing deeply.

Answer 1

Hopefully you are being seen regularly by a rheumatologist, and hopefully that rheumatologist is one who is familiar with AS.

What you have is progressing, and that is not so good.

Note - the pain down your legs is actually referred pain from pressure on the sciatic nerve from the inflammation around your spine and sacroiliac joint.

I was diagnosed with AS nearly 15 years ago and have been symptomatic for more than 20 years. I am on a regime of indocin (high dose) and azulfidine (moderate) - not an uncommon combination.

Medication for AS
http://www.spondylitis.org/about/as_med.aspx

There are other treatments as well, but surgery is very rare.
http://www.spondylitis.org/about/as_treat.aspx

General info.
http://www.spondylitis.org/about/as.aspx

Good luck with it.

Answer 2

TX usually involves Aspirin or NSAIDS for pain relief. Corticosteroids for inflammation; muscle relaxers, and narcotic pain relievers. Surgery may be needed. Physical therapy and exercise. For alternative TX check out the chapters on Rheumatoid Arthritis in: Prescription For Natural Cures (Balch & Stengler) and Digestive Wellness (Elizabeth Lipski). Also try Celadrin cream and pills (swansonvitamins.com), and check out MonaVie juice on monavie.com.