🍁 Ankylosing Spondylitis (Continue...) Though Ankylosing Spondylitis is said to be a lifelong condition, but effective treatments are available. Treatment goals are to minimize pain and stiffness and reduce flares. Natural treatments may be used on their own or with traditional AS treatments. ⚜ Natural Therapies that may help relieve the Symptoms : 1. Stretching ♦ Stretching helps build flexibility and may reduce pain ♦ Consider adding the spine stretch or the low-back rotation stretch to your daily routine 2. Heat Therapy ♦ Apply a hot water bottle or heating pad to the affected area to reduce stiffness and pain ♦ You may also use moist or dry heat ♦ A warm bath may also help, especially before exercise ♦ Don’t use heat therapy without consulting your doctor if you have diabetes, deep vein thrombosis, vascular disease, an open wound, or a skin condition such as dermatitis 3. Cold therapy ♦ Applying an ice pack, cold gel pack, or a bag of frozen vegetables to painful joints can help reduce swelling ♦ After exercise, cold therapy may help reduce inflammation ♦ Don’t apply ice for more than 20 minutes at a time ♦ Don’t use cold therapy without consulting your doctor if you have circulation problems 4. Acupuncture : ♦ Acupuncture is an ancient remedy for pain relief ♦ It involves inserting thin needles into specific points in your skin ♦ This is thought to activate your body’s pain-relieving hormones 5. Massage Therapy : ♦ Massage helps you relax. It may also help you feel more flexible or “loose” so that you can exercise or stretch ♦ Massage may cause pain at tender points around your spine. If this happens, avoid those areas and only use light massage techniques until the pain improves. 6. Movement : ♦ The more you sit, the stiffer you’re likely to feel. Get up, move around, and stretch regularly ♦ If you have a desk job, take a “get up and move” break every hour 7. Exercise : ♦ Gentle exercise programs such as yoga and Pilates are great for AS because they incorporate stretching ♦ Swimming may also be beneficial because it’s easy on your joints ♦ Strengthening exercises with weights can help build muscle, which supports joints affected by AS. 8. TENS Therapy : ♦ TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation ♦ This therapy uses electrical current to stimulate nerves through the body for pain control ♦ Electrodes are usually applied at the pain site and connected to a TENS machine. It’s thought that when TENS stimulates nerves, it overrides pain signals. ♦ The TENS technique is usually taught by a physical therapist and may be continued at home. 9. Stop smoking : ♦ Smokers, especially men, are at risk for greater spine damage from AS than non-smokers ♦ Quitting smoking not only helps reduce AS damage, but also improves your overall health. Dr Ayaz Physiotherapy & Multi Speclist Clinic golden trade Center, E-wing, 1st floor, tulinj road, near flyover ending, Nalasopara East, Nala Sopara, Maharashtra 401209 080802 92950 https://g.co/kgs/5iTnjv