Spondylitis

Spondylitis is a inflammatory bone spinal column alteration. The inflammation usually takes place on other places of the body, for example, in the lungs. From there onwards, the bacteria get into the bone tissue through blood circulation.

In some cases, the inflammation causes bone changes in the extremities, but also in the spinal column. This is especially true of rheumatic diseases. The most well-known example is spondylitis ankylosans, also known as Morbus Bechterew. In this variety, calcareous bridges form between vertebral elements, which can cause a complete hardening of the spinal column.

Symptoms: Normally, spondylitis is felt as back pain in the relevant area. If treatment is not swift, though, the inflammation can extend to the neighboring tissues and also affect nerve fibers. In this case, pain often expands to the legs and there occur bladder disorders.

Therapy: Usually, spondylitis requires a stay at a clinic, since we have to eliminate the inflammation as fast as possible, to prevent it from reaching further tissues. Antibiotics are normally used in this case. If alterations in the bone have already occurred, a complete healing is not possible. Therefore, in the context of conservative therapies, we use physiotherapy and treatment with medication with pain-killers and anti-inflammatories to keep the spinal column mobile for as long as possible, in this case. In certain cases, a minimally invasive pain therapy, such as denervation or spinal cord stimulation (pain pace-maker) can improve the situation.