If these drugs don’t work, a class of drugs called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors may be prescribed. In some cases, doctors may prescribe other drugs that work similarly to reduce inflammation but haven’t yet been approved specifically for ankylosing spondylitis. The goals of ankylosing spondylitis treatment are to reduce inflammation, with the hope of reducing the tissue damage that results from inflammation, improve physical functioning, and reduce pain and other symptoms of the disease.
NSAIDs Reduce Inflammation
NSAIDs reduce inflammation and accompanying pain. Those used to treat ankylosing spondylitis include:
Indomethacin (Indocin)Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)Meloxicam (Mobic)Diclofenac (Voltaren)
One drawback of NSAIDs is that they can cause gastrointestinal bleeding. They should also be used with caution if you have high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.
TNF Alpha-Blockers Target Underlying Cause of Inflammation
If you find that NSAIDs don’t provide enough relief, or if side effects become a problem, your doctor may prescribe a TNF alpha-blocker, also known as a TNF inhibitor or anti-TNF drug. The five TNF alpha-blockers approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in people with ankylosing spondylitis are:
Adalimumab (Humira)Certolizumab (Cimzia)Etanercept (Enbrel)Golimumab (Simponi)Infliximab (Avsola, Inflectra, Remicade, Renflexis)
TNF alpha-blockers must be injected or infused intravenously. These drugs are expensive, and they raise the risk for infection, including reactivation of latent tuberculosis. They also reduce the ability to fight infections.
These drugs prevent inflammation by binding to interleukin-17A (IL-17), a protein that is released by certain immune cells and that normally activates inflammation in the body as part of its immune response. In people with ankylosing spondylitis, however, the numbers of interleukin-17-producing cells are higher than normal, leading to excessive inflammation. The two IL-17 inhibitors approved by the FDA for use in people with ankylosing spondylitis are:
Secukinumab (Cosentyx)Ixekizumab (Taltz)
Similar to TNF alpha-blockers, IL-17 inhibitors are associated with a higher risk of infection and a reduced ability to fight infections. In clinical studies, both secukinumab and ixekizumab also raised the risk of the onset or exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease. The ACR’s treatment guidelines, however, recommend using IL-17 inhibitors only if TNF alpha-blockers are tried and found ineffective for an individual.
JAK Inhibitors Target the Production of Inflammatory Proteins
Janus kinases (JAK) are enzymes involved in immune system responses — their intracellular signals stimulate immune cells to produce inflammatory proteins. In autoimmune conditions like ankylosing spondylitis, overactive JAK signaling causes persistent inflammation. In clinical trials, about 40 percent of ankylosing spondylitis patients taking tofacitinib and 50 percent taking upadacitinib achieved a 40 percent improvement in their disease.
Corticosteroids for Joint Swelling and Eye Inflammation
If you have swelling in one or more joints, you may benefit from an injection of a corticosteroid into the joint or the tendon sheath (the membrane surrounding the tendon). Corticosteroids aren’t recommended for joint swelling that’s widespread, and oral steroids aren’t recommended for ankylosing spondylitis. Because uveitis can damage your eyes even before you notice any symptoms, regular checkups by an eye doctor are recommended if you have been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis.
Exercise Key to Staying Fit and Flexible
Staying physically active is important for maintaining joint and heart health. Exercise can help you maintain more of the mobility and flexibility you would otherwise lose to ankylosing spondylitis. It can improve posture, stiffness, pain, fatigue, and breathing capacity. Your doctor may refer you to a physical therapist, who can teach you special exercises to maintain flexibility and an upright posture when sitting and standing.
BalanceRange-of-motion or stretchingStrengtheningAerobic or cardiovascular
Your physical therapist may also be able to advise you on sleeping positions to help you get a better night’s rest. Performing breathing exercises is important, too. Ankylosing spondylitis can cause scarring in the lungs due to inflammation and can also limit how much your chest can expand with inhalation. Doing deep-breathing exercises every day can help you prevent further stiffening of the ribs and maintain your ability to exercise. RELATED: Breathing Exercises for Ankylosing Spondylitis
Surgery Reserved for Fractures and Severe Movement Restrictions
Spinal surgery is rarely performed on people with ankylosing spondylitis, except in the case of a fracture or if a person cannot straighten their neck. You may benefit from joint replacement surgery, however, if your hips or knees have been severely damaged by the disease. Total hip replacement can help with hip pain and disability. RELATED: Joint Replacement for Ankylosing Spondylitis: Why and When?
How to Cure Ankylosing Spondylitis Naturally
While there are no cures, natural or otherwise, for ankylosing spondylitis, there are actions you can take at home to help reduce pain and stiffness, including the following:
Daily Moist Heat or Cold Applications
Applying moist heat pads to sore muscles and stiff joints several times each day can ease pain and stiffness. Alternatively, spend time in a hot shower or bath, or soak in a hot tub. If you don’t like moist heat, try ice applications or cold packs on painful areas. Just be sure not to place ice on your bare skin. Instead, cover your skin with a towel to avoid getting frostbite, and only leave an ice pack in place for about 10 minutes at a time.
Inflammation-Fighting Food
Processed foods and saturated fat can cause inflammation, while a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods (like fatty fish) may help reduce inflammation. Some specific foods with anti-inflammatory properties includes leafy greens, broccoli, onions, berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), wild salmon, healthy oils such as olive oil and avocado oil, and nuts and seeds, especially walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, chia seeds, and ground flaxseeds.
Stretching Exercises
Laughter
Humor has long been used as a natural way of treating or coping with illness. In his memoir Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient, the editor and writer Norman Cousins describes how in 1964, he lay seriously ill in a hospital with acute symptoms of what was later diagnosed as ankylosing spondylitis. When the medication prescribed by his doctors caused intolerable side effects, he devised his own treatment program, which included watching episodes of the TV show Candid Camera and Marx Brothers movies, as well as reading humor books, to make him laugh. And gradually, his symptoms began to recede, as did his markers of inflammation. While laughter might help with reducing inflammation, research shows that stress can cause excessive inflammation by activating inflammatory responses in the brain.
Yoga
Reduced stressIncreased relaxationFeeling better emotionallyFeeling motivated to eat better and exercise more regularly
Other Mind-Body Methods
Some other nondrug approaches that may help to alleviate pain and stiffness include:
Cognitive behavioral therapyExerciseMindfulness-based stress reductionMotor control exercise, or exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the torso that support the spineMultidisciplinary rehabilitationOperant conditioning therapy, a form of behavioral therapy that focuses on positive or negative reinforcementProgressive relaxation, a technique for easing muscle tension and anxietyTai chi
Some of these techniques you can do on your own, such as exercise, tai chi, and progressive relaxation, while others require a trained therapist to administer them, such as cognitive behavioral or operant conditioning therapy. If any of these modalities interest you, speak to your doctor about what resources are available in your area and how to take advantage of them. Additional reporting by Joseph Bennington-Castro.
