Jacob Bogatin: Bechterew's disease

The symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis may be initially very similar to the banal manifestations of osteochondrosis. The patient complains of pain in the lumbar region. And these pains are often quite modest. They are easily removed by means of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and do not cause the majority of doctors together with Jacob Bogatin doubt: "Osteochondrosis in pure form." Doubts begin later, when added to the lumbar pain swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. An experienced doctor in this situation should pay attention to the "inflammatory" nature of back pain and joint pain: the pain intensifies during the second half of the night, between three and five o'clock in the morning, and slightly subside during the day, especially after noon.

Jacob Bogatin tells us that in addition to the typical rate pain on a possible diagnosis indicates a pronounced morning stiffness, lower back, also disappear at lunchtime, and the young age of the patient - osteochondrosis generally ill elderly people, and ankylosing spondylitis usually starts at 20 - 30 years.
In addition to approximately half of the patients at the very onset of the disease can be detected and eye inflammation (redness and their sense of "sand in the eyes), fever and weight loss.

Still, the main sign of the disease is increasing spine stiffness and limited mobility of the chest during breathing movements. According to Jacob Bogatin a sick person is moving, as if instead of the spine had inserted a stick - rotate and tilt the patient has the whole body.

In the initial stage of the disease disappears the normal lumbar curvature of the spine, lower back becomes flat and straight. At a later stage, "freezes" strongly hunched over, thoracic spine – Jacob Bogatin calls such a condition as a "beggar attitude". Patient's legs when walking always remain slightly bent at the knees.

Such patients in the advanced stage of disease it is difficult to confuse with osteochondrosis patients - especially if the defeat of the spine combined with inflammation of the joints and the diagnosis at this stage, most physicians set without difficulty. Unfortunately, and to treat such a disease is already running virtually useless - too many changes taking place at this time in the body. Jacob Bogatin confirms that the treatment of Bechterew's disease should begin much earlier, has not happened yet, "ossification" of the spine and inflamed joints. And this requires, of course, as soon as possible to make the correct diagnosis.