Ankylosing Spondylitis (Bamboo Spine)
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis causing inflammation of the joints and associated structures of the spine. It usually starts from the lower spinal region (Typically from the S.I. joint which are below the waist line and above the tailbone) Inflammation in these areas causes pain and stiffness initially. Chronic spinal inflammation (spondylitis) leads to complete fusion of the sacrum and the iliac bone. This process of fusion spreads upwards in the spine and towards the Dorsal (Middle back) and Cervical spine (Neck). The process of fusion of the vertebre completes over the next few years. It may also affect other joints such as the shoulders, hips, knees, and elbows.
Eye, Lungs, heart and bowel problems may also occur. Stiffness of the affected joints generally increases in absence of medically designed exercise. The secret of treating Ankylosing Spondylitis (A S) and to live a pain free life and have a moderately flexible body (average Range of Motion in the joints) is to follow your Medically-Designed personal exercise sequence.
It also spreads to the other joints like hip joints, shoulder joints, knee and elbow joints. Ankylosing spondylitis is also a systemic disease. It can cause inflammation of the other organs, such as the eyes heart, lungs, and kidneys.
Common Reasons you should know
- It can be genetically inherited.
- The HLA-B27 gene appears only to increase the tendency of developing Ankylosing Spondylitis (A S), while some additional factors, perhaps environmental, are necessary for the disease to appear. Onset is typically in young adults. Males are more often affected than females.
Who should join
- If you are taking any medicines for pain relief or inflammation (or for giddiness, muscle spasm, nerves)
- If you are recommended to undergo Remicade injections course or any other steroids
- If you are told that you have swelling around the joints.
- If you are told that you have swelling in the nerve/s.
- If you are told that your bones are getting weak.
- If you are told that your disc is bulging/ protruding/ herniating.
Or your x ray/ MRI reads any of these
- Right or left “Sacro-illiac (S I) joint is hazy/ partially fused/ fused/ unremarkable
- loss of Lumbar/ cervical lordosis (curvature)”, “Muscle-spasm
- Bamboo spine
- Osteophytes
- Reduced Inter veratebral Disc space
- Squaring of vertebre
- Calcification, Arthropathy or sacralization
Or you have any of the following Symptoms
- Stiffness in back or neck
- Pain in back (may radiate to the hips and legs)
- Pain in neck (may radiate to shoulders and arms)
- Abnormal sensations in the abdomen area
- Restricted range or motion (RoM)
- Feeling heat or redness in the eyes
- Indigestion, bloating, tightness in abdominal area
- Pain in chest
- Inflammation of the iris (Eyes)
- Blurring of the vision
- Sudden pricking sensation in the body
- Fatigue.
- Reduced breathing capacity
- Forward curvature of the upper torso.
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Who should not join:
- If you can't devote two hours weekly at home after the treatment protocol is over at the centre
- If you are comfortable taking medicines (Pain blockers, Anti-inflammatory, antacids) and are not willing to put-in any extra efforts to get off from the medicines.
M. Y. Therapy: A Robust Cure
Medical Yoga Centre is known for its results. Our special M.Y. Techniques are excellent in improving movement between the vertebre, halt fusion process and reduce inflammation
restoring flexibility in the partly fused vertebre, re-aligning the Lumbar curvature and relieving pinched nerve.
M Y Techniques are technical yet simple. Results are visible from the first Session and keeps improving with every passing session.
A very important feature of the M Y Techniques is that you can practice some of it at home as well and save your precious time and visits. It’s aimed at relieving the pain, strengthening the entire spinal column & restores the natural behaviour of the spine and joints to maximum. All of this is achieved without any medicine, injection, surgery or even any ointment. It’s all done by the natural M Y Techniques.
A special sequence comprising of medically modified asanas is designed for the patient.
This sequence is then done with the help of some tools and props. We use props which are commonly available at home like pillows, chairs, stools etc.
Props are appropriately used to make the 'Saadhaka' comfortable and gain from the posture. The asanas are aimed at relieving the pain and strengthening the area to cure the ailment.
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Results you should expect
- Elimination of pain and stiffness
- Dissolve the recent growth of the osteophytes.
- Safeguard other body joints where A S may affect in future.
- Halt the progress of Ankylosing Spondylitis (A S)
- Restore flexibility in the cervical (Neck) region and Pectoral girdle
- Restore flexibility in the lumbar (Lower back) region
- Restore joint capsule’s elasticity
- Removes swelling from the extremities
- Halts and reverses the complications associated with ankylosing spondylitis (A S) such as breathing problems, digestive disorders, cardiac conditions etc
- Over increased flexibility
- Improved sleep cycle
- Reduced stress levels
- No medicines, no Pain-killers, no steroids, no Anti-Inflammatory
- Correction of spinal curvature and chest pain syndrome
- Complete Postural correction
Tips by Dr D S
- In Ankylosing Spondylitis (A S) proper movement is the key to unlock the spine.
- Do basic exercises at your own and remember what I always say “Listen and respond to the signals of your body”.
- Consider getting a customised exercise sequence designed for you by an expert physical therapist.
- Take steam/ sauna bath often. It helps to keep you flexible. If the space permits, do some simple spinal twisting exercises sitting in the steam/ sauna room itself.
- Measure the Range of motion of the joints. Simple measurement techniques like: hold a pencil in your hand try to make a mark on the wall as high as possible or stand against the wall, hold the pencil in your right hand and try to make a mark on the wall which is on your left side. This is useful to understand if you are progressing or not-progressing or getting stiff.
- Using electric heating pads on low intensity can be quite useful to relieve the muscle stiffness. In some cases where the joint inflammation is quite high cold packs can be tried.
Leave us a massage or book appointment at 9891 24 34 44
Ankylosing Spondylitis (A S) ID no: P0207/PBC/12
Patient’s details: Sunil Jain (name changed) Gender/Age: Female / 39 years
Patient joined Medical Yoga sessions for one month (26 days). He was advised to attend the sessions for 1 hour every day and was given sequence of 3 asanas for home practice 5 mins each.
Patient had complaint/s of
- Stiffness in Lower back, Neck and both hip joints
- Pain in both hip joints Right > Left, Pain in Lower back and Neck
Clinical examination
Neck RoM
- Rotation to right 17’
- Rotation to left 16’
- Lateral Flexion to Right 5’
- Lateral Flexion to Left 4’
Hip Joint RoM
Right
- Flexion 28’
- Abduction 15’
Left
- Flexion 30’
- Abduction 19’
Previous treatments
Allopathic treatment
- Pain blockers
- Muscle relaxants
- Antacids
Medical Yoga therapy: Then patient came for all 26 days for one hour. He followed the following sequence (medically modified sequence mentioned here was prescribed):
Asanas that were done during the treatments
- Vipreet karni 2 (also advised to practice at home)
- Hip joint reliever (Also advised to practice at home)
- Static S L R- 1 with rope and red belt (Also advised to practice at home)
- Static S L R-2 with rope and red belt
Vipreet karni: To release the stiffness in the lumbar region muscles (quadratus lumboram) muscle and illiocostalis muscle). Also to restore the natural curve of the lumbar spine (lumbar lordosis).
Gomukh asana: To release the pressure on the sciatic nerve of the six deep lateral rotator muscles in the hip joint. Also improves the range of motion of the hip joint so that the forward bending movement in the day to day life is done from both the hip joint and lumbar region. This significantly reduced the pressure of the lumbar discs and eventually on the lumbar nerves during forward bend.
Supta Padangusth asana 1 with rope: To release the muscular stiffness in the calf muscles and peripheral part of the sciatic nerve.
Supta Padangusth asana 2 with rope: To release the pain in the outer thigh and hip muscle stiffness(I.T.Band & Gluteus Medius and Minimus muscles)
