that the immune system uses to trigger inflammation. They’re taken as tablets.
medicine often used to treat other types of arthritis.
DMARDs may be prescribed for AS, although they’re only beneficial in treating pain and inflammation in joints in areas of the body other than the spine.
Sulfasalazine and methotrexate are the main DMARDs sometimes used to treat inflammation of joints other than the spine.
Surgery
Most people with AS will not need surgery. However, joint replacement surgery may be recommended to improve pain and movement in the affected joint if the joint has become severely damaged.
For example, if the hip joints are affected, a hip replacement may be carried out.
In rare cases corrective surgery may be needed if the spine becomes badly bent.
Follow-up
As the symptoms of AS develop slowly and tend to come and go, you’ll need to see your rheumatologist for regular check-ups.
They’ll make sure your treatment is working properly and may carry out physical assessments to assess how your condition is progressing. This may involve further sets of the same blood tests or X-rays you had at the time of your diagnosis.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and can be taken as injections by people with AS.
If a particular joint is inflamed, corticosteroids can be injected directly into the joint. You’ll need to rest the joint for up to 48 hours after the injection.
It’s usually recommended to limit corticosteroid injections to no more than 3 times in one year, with at least 3 months between injections in the same joint.
This is because corticosteroid injections can cause a number of side effects, such as:
- infection in response to the injection
- the skin around the injection may change colour (depigmentation)
- the surrounding tissue may waste away
- a tendon near the joint may burst (rupture)
Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are an alternative type of medicine often used to treat other types of arthritis.
DMARDs may be prescribed for AS, although they’re only beneficial in treating pain and inflammation in joints in areas of the body other than the spine.
Sulfasalazine and methotrexate are the main DMARDs sometimes used to treat inflammation of joints other than the spine.
Surgery
Most people with AS will not need surgery. However, joint replacement surgery may be recommended to improve pain and movement in the affected joint if the joint has become severely damaged.
For example, if the hip joints are affected, a hip replacement may be carried out.
In rare cases corrective surgery may be needed if the spine becomes badly bent.
Follow-up
As the symptoms of AS develop slowly and tend to come and go, you’ll need to see your rheumatologist for regular check-ups.
They’ll make sure your treatment is working properly and may carry out physical assessments to assess how your condition is progressing. This may involve further sets of the same blood tests or X-rays you had at the time of your diagnosis.