Chiropractic Care of Inflammatory La Grande Back Pain
The variety of spinal conditions abounds! Your La Grande chiropractor is well aware of this. Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC welcomes them all! For optimal relief of pain and limited function, the first step is to recognize the condition then arrange its proper treatment. Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC is experienced in both! This week’s featured condition is inflammatory back pain, axial spondyloarthritis, and the spine-specific type, ankylosing spondylitis.
AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS
Axial spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory back pain condition. It’s commonly missed as a cause of chronic low back pain while approximately 1% of the US population experiences it. Characteristics of axial spondyloarthritis include onset before 45 years old, morning stiffness, improvement with exercise not rest, alternating gluteal pain, and positive response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment. Other characteristics of axial spondyloarthritis involve enthesitis (inflammation of tendons and ligaments as they insert into bone), dactylitis (inflammation of a finger or toe), peripheral arthritis, extra-articular appearances (like psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, or uveitis), positive for the human leukocyte antigen B27, and a family history of the disease. Early diagnosis is important as is a rheumatology referral for evaluation and cooperative care. (1) Not only is axial spondyloarthritis missed in medical offices, but it’s sometimes overlooked in chiropractic offices, too. (2) It’s just not recognized for what it is: an immune-mediated inflammatory disease. Your La Grande chiropractor is aware and looks for it so that typical lapses of time - sometimes years - will not go by between symptom onset and diagnosis. Since it’s a back pain condition, axial spondyloarthritis can be diagnosed and co-treated with chiropractic care for effective outcomes.
ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS: A SUBSET OF AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS SPECIFIC TO THE SPINE
One type of axial spondyloarthritis is ankylosing spondylitis. Spondylitis means inflammation of the vertebrae. Interdisciplinary management with chiropractic and medical care with rehabilitation often works well for these patients in reducing their symptoms and increasing musculoskeletal function. (3) Treating this condition calls for gentle care that certified Cox® Technic chiropractic physicians are experienced in delivering. A case of a 30-year-old male first diagnosed when he was 12 years old whose condition, despite medical care, resulted in fusion of his sacroiliac joints as well as facet joints in the lumbar and cervical spine. The patient underwent chiropractic spinal manipulation of his thoracic, lumbar, and cervical spine areas and physical therapy stretches for 12 weeks. His advanced condition reacted favorably with some improvement in pain and flexibility. (4) Another male patient who was 34 years old with a 10-year history of AS underwent 18 weeks of chiropractic spinal manipulation and mobilization. This resulted in a 90% improvement in a disease activity index and an 85% improvement in a functional index from start to finish. (5) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC delivers very gentle spinal manipulation and mobilization in the form of Cox® Technic distraction decompression. An advanced state of the condition does not rule out chiropractic care or its resulting positive outcomes.
CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Gabriel Monterrubio on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. He discusses his use of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for treating ankylosing spondylitis.
Schedule your La Grande chiropractic appointment today. All types of spine-related conditions are welcome!
