Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory form of arthritis. It causes widespread body inflammation that can damage your joints and bones. Over time, ankylosing spondylitis may cause the small bones in your spine to fuse. This results in a limited range of motions and a hunched-forward posture. Unfortunately, there is no cure for ankylosing spondylitis. But treatment helps manage the condition and reduce the severity of the symptoms.
Below are 6 complementary treatment options that are effective for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis.
1. Physical therapy
Physical therapy is one of the best complementary treatments for ankylosing spondylitis. It can help people with ankylosing spondylitis improve their posture and joint mobility while helping to reduce pain and perform everyday functional activities more easily. Treatment for ankylosing spondylitis that is performed by a physical therapist often includes both strengthening and stretching exercises.
Strengthening exercises help strengthen your back and abdominal muscles to improve mobility. Stretching exercises help maintain joint flexibility and improve chest expansion. Because ankylosing spondylitis often causes difficulty breathing, the physical therapist may suggest deep-breathing exercises to help you breathe better.
2. Diet
An anti-inflammatory diet is a great way for people with ankylosing spondylitis to manage their symptoms. You need to avoid foods that can trigger inflammation and load up on products with anti-inflammatory properties. Some of the foods you should avoid include sugar, artificial trans fats, refined carbohydrates, vegetable oils, and alcohol.
Fill your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole foods, nuts, and fatty fish. These foods contain all the vitamins and minerals you need to manage ankylosing spondylitis inflammation and stay free of pain.
3. Chiropractic care
Chiropractic care is another type of complementary treatment for ankylosing spondylitis. It involves manual manipulations of the spine to improve posture and mobility of the spine joints. However, you need to be careful about chiropractic care if you have severe inflammation. Mechanical stress from manipulations can irritate already inflamed tissues and cause even more discomfort.
In fact, chiropractic care can be recommended only for people with a mild form of ankylosing spondylitis. For people with an advanced form of ankylosing spondylitis, chiropractic care can increase the risk of fractures.
4. Supplements and herbs
Herbal supplements, minerals, and vitamins may be a good complementary treatment for people with ankylosing spondylitis. They can help manage the symptoms like pain and inflammation while maintaining overall well-being. Supplements that can be used by people with ankylosing spondylitis include fish oil, calcium, folic acid, white willow bark, vitamin D, turmeric, and Boswellia.
Most supplements are safe to use, but some of them can interfere with medications, reducing their effectiveness. For this reason, be sure to consult your primary care doctor before trying any herbal remedies or supplements.
5. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of Chinese traditional medicine. In acupuncture, the practitioner inserts thin needles in specific points within your body to promote blood flow and boost regeneration in the spine. What’s more, during acupuncture sessions your brain triggers the release of endorphins. These are feeling-good hormones that are also known as natural painkillers. They can help reduce pain and improve your mood.
The effect of acupuncture is short-term, but this type of treatment is absolutely safe so you can visit the therapist regularly.
6. Yoga
Yoga is an Indian practice that combines body postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. This helps achieve harmony in the body, mind, and spirit. People with ankylosing spondylitis can benefit from yoga in many ways. Regular yoga classes increase your tolerance to pain and trigger the release of endorphins that reduce discomfort. Besides, yoga can help you strengthen your core muscles and prevent back pain from ankylosing spondylitis.
