Chiropractic Care of Inflammatory San Jose Back Pain
The variety of spinal conditions abounds! Your San Jose chiropractor is in the know. Chiropractic Solutions welcomes them all! For best relief of pain and limited function, the first step is to recognize the condition then arrange its proper treatment. Chiropractic Solutions is experienced in both! This week’s highlighted condition is inflammatory back pain, axial spondyloarthritis, and the spine-specific kind, ankylosing spondylitis.
AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS
Axial spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory back pain condition. It is often missed as a cause of chronic low back pain while approximately 1% of the US population experiences it. Characteristics of axial spondyloarthritis include onset before 45 years old, morning stiffness, improvement with exercise not rest, alternating gluteal pain, and good response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment. Other characteristics of axial spondyloarthritis care enthesitis (inflammation of tendons and ligaments as they insert into bone), dactylitis (inflammation of a toe or finger), peripheral arthritis, extra-articular appearances (like psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, or uveitis), positive for the human leukocyte antigen B27, and a family history of the disease. Early diagnosis is key as is a rheumatology referral for evaluation and co-management. (1) Not only is axial spondyloarthritis overlooked in medical practices, but it’s sometimes overlooked in chiropractic practices, too. (2) It’s just not recognized for what it is: an immune-mediated inflammatory disease. Your San Jose chiropractor is aware and looks for it so that typical lapses of time - sometimes years - will not go by between symptom onset and diagnosis. Since it’s a back pain condition, axial spondyloarthritis can be diagnosed and co-treated with chiropractic care for effective outcomes.
ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS: A SUBSET OF AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS SPECIFIC TO THE SPINE
One variety of axial spondyloarthritis is ankylosing spondylitis. Spondylitis means inflammation of the vertebrae. Interdisciplinary management with medical, chiropractic and rehab frequently works well for these patients in reducing their symptoms and improving musculoskeletal function. (3) Treating this condition requires gentle care that certified Cox® Technic chiropractic physicians are experienced in delivering. A case of a 30-year-old male first diagnosed at age 12 whose condition, despite medical care, resulted in fusion of his sacroiliac joints as well as facet joints in the lumbar and cervical spine. The patient underwent chiropractic spinal manipulation of his thoracic, lumbar, and cervical spine areas and physical therapy stretches for 12 weeks. His advanced condition reacted favorably with some improvement in pain and flexibility. (4) Another male patient aged 34 years with a 10-year history of AS underwent 18 weeks of chiropractic spinal manipulation and mobilization. This resulted in a 90% improvement in a disease activity index and an 85% improvement in a functional index from start to finish. (5) Chiropractic Solutions delivers very gentle spinal manipulation and mobilization in the form of Cox® Technic distraction decompression. An advanced state of the condition doesn’t preclude chiropractic care or its resulting good outcomes.
CONTACT Chiropractic Solutions
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Gabriel Monterrubio on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. He discusses his use of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for managing ankylosing spondylitis.
Schedule your San Jose chiropractic appointment today. All types of spine-related conditions are welcome!
