Spondylitis or Spondyloarthritis are diseases of vertebra, in which, the patient suffers from a lifelong inflammation, which affects joint and other organs of the body. There has been increase in the number of people suffering from the disease because of the western lifestyle and eating habits.
There are many types of diseases found in the group of chronic diseases called Spondylitis, such as:
1. Ankylosing Spondylitis - The disease causes inflammation to the joints and it is mostly found in adults below the age of thirty five.
2. Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy - It is a form of Spondylitis, where the patient does not show symptoms of Spondylitis in x-rays reports.
3. Juvenile Spondyloarthropathy - It is found in people below the age of sixteen.
4. Psoriatic Arthritis - It appears along with arthritis and the patient suffers from the symptoms of arthritis.
5. Enteropathic Arthritis - It is a chronic illness, where the patient suffers from inflammatory bowel disorders and has pain in joints.
Cervical Spondylitis - It affects the neck vertebra of the patient and it is most common in people above the age of forty years. The damages caused to the vertebral column in the neck may cause pain in the neck. The patient may also have calcium deposits in the neck inter vertebrae discs.
1. The pain in the neck that passes to shoulders and arms
2. Weakness in hands, fingers and arms
3. Headaches
4. Balancing problem
5. Weakness in legs
6. Loss of bowel control and bladder problem
1. One of the common remedy for Spondylitis is yoga. Relaxing mentally and physically is important to prevent pain. One of the pose called shavasana, helps to relax completely. Stretching neck and shoulder muscles, and moving the hands up to hold the head in both the hands, is one of the common exercises done to relieve the pain.
2. Many patients suffer from pain in winter and in such case, applying heat to the muscles of the shoulders and neck helps in relieving pain.
3. Moving the neck side to side relieves pain of the neck.
4. Precaution should be taken not to do neck rotations and heavy exercise of the neck as it may damage the discs of the neck.
5. One should move the neck without jerking it in any direction.
6. Breathing exercises such as anuloma-viloma is effective in getting proper breath and it is also a remedy to prevent the symptoms of neck pain.
7. People sitting long in the front of computer or screen of television, should sit in proper posture on the chair to prevent damage to the spinal cord and take breaks in between do some exercise of their hands and fingers.
1. Herbs effective in joint pains are nirgundi, guggul, sonth, giloy, tagar, Brahmi , aswagandha and Shallaki.
2. Prevent constipation and consume turmeric boiled in milk.
3. Cow's ghee can be taken in food and for massage.
4. Drink water from copper vessel.
5. Indian gooseberry (Amla) juice and Aloe Vera juices improve immunity to prevent diseases.
6. Castor oil can be taken with milk to prevent arthritis and pains.
