Hi,

Thanks for your query.

I shall begin my discussion with this statement. "Seronegative arthropathy is a chronic disease with no specific treatment to cure it. The available treatments are primarily used to reduce the some of the symptoms of pain and to reduce the further complications like joints fusions , limitations of movements around the joints and the involvement of the other organs like eyes, heart, lungs by the disease."

Treatment options include medications , physical therapy and surgical care.

The medications that is used includes:

1.NSAIDS(non steroidal anti inlammatory drugs)- used for reducing the pain.
2.Sulfasalazine-effective drug known to reduce the spinal stiffnesss.
3.TNF-alpha anatogonists group oof drugs, which includes Etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab etc- these drugs can halt the progression of the disease and used once the above treatments shows no improvements.
4.Anakinra, a recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist,a new drug, effective in treatment-resistant ankylosing spondylitis.

The above treatment options will be decided by the doctor depending on your test reports.

Complications may occur from spinal and articular(joints) disease or extra-articular manifestations, if not treated. As mentioned likelihood of complications is more when the disease is not under control.

A)A small minority of patients develop spinal fusion, which may result in severe kyphosis(forward bending of the spine) and limited motion of the spine, including the cervical region.

B)The fused spine is more susceptible to fracture, even with relatively minor trauma.

C) Occasionally, the hip and shoulder joints develop severe arthropathy, requiring total joint replacement.

D)Extra-articular manifestations are recurrent uveitis(eye involvement), cardiovascular involvement, pulmonary involvement, amyloidosis. But these are rare.

E)It can affects the chest wall causing difficulties in breathing resulting in Corpulmonale , its a due to chest wall involvement.

Since the disease is already interfering your daily life, I suggest you to see a Physician /Rheumatologist and follow his advice.

Hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries I will be available to answer them.

Regards.

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Hi Again ,

Thanks for your follow up query.

'Rheumatologist' is a specialist who is an expert in treating seronegative spondyloarthritis. You may discuss your problems with a Rheumatologist. Fortis Hospital will have Rheumatologist in their panel of experts. You may consult them directly. Alternatively the neurosurgeon may redirect you to Rheumatologist after the initial evaluation.

Hope this helps you.

Wish you good health.

Regards

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