Brian Kwon Acupuncture I’ve recently seen a few patients who were suffering from symptoms caused by ankylosis spondylitis and helped them with acupuncture treatment.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the joints and ligament of the spine. This inflammation can cause stiffness. People who have a gene called HLA-B27 appear to be at a higher risk of developing AS but the cause is unknown since only some individuals with the gene develop the condition.
Symptoms include pain and stiffness in the lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after the periods of inactivity. Neck pain is also common.
There is research that shows acupuncture helps relieve symptoms associated with AS. The research shows that when it is done in parallel with Disease-modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARs), it is more effective than the treatment with DMARs alone.
There is no definite method for confirming the diagnosis for AS but the combination of physical and blood tests along with images can be used to evaluate AS.
Since AS is a type of arthritis, we can possibly slow AS progression with treatment, although there is no cure for it. Please call us if you have any questions.
