A 37 year old female came to MIOT with a condition known as ankylosing spondylitis. Her symptoms began when she was in eighth grade. She began to experience unexplained pain in her neck, lower back and gluteal region. She lived all her youth with pain and stiffness without any diagnosis. She wanted to ignore it, but had a subconscious knowledge that something was wrong and that no dosage of pain medication could heal it. She went over to multiple doctors and specialist trying to find a diagnosis, all the while missing school and college, suffering with pain and stiffness.

Diagnosis:

Her life had turned into a clinical experiment with blood tests, medicines, physiotherapy, counseling, acupuncture, deep tissue massage, hypnosis and late night visits to the hospital occupying a major portion of her daily routine. She was extremely fortunate to have the means and the support of her parents and family to keep looking for answers.

Countless doctors told her that it was chronic muscular pain, that it was all in her head, and that if she changed her mindset it would go away. They were all wrong. Finally when she started developing kyphosis at the age of 27(forward bending of the Spine) and had shortness of breath, a concrete diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis was made.  She said “Alas! My disease had a name. But the more she read about the disease, the more worried she became.  ”

ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS  is a form of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine causing pain, stiffness, and fatigue. In severe cases of AS, the spine can become fused into a fixed position, limiting movement and causing deformity.

Lack of hope:

She had already stated developing kyphosis. With each passing year her bend in the back kept on increasing. Life as she knew, was forever changed. She could not stand erect anymore, nor could she look forward while walking. Moving around became difficult as she could only see the ground while walking. She sought medical help but every consultant she visited scared her that she may become paraplegic (impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities) if any surgery to correct the deformity was attempted.

Approach to MIOT:

Finally a distant relative who underwent a scoliosis surgery suggested her to go to MIOT Hospital. She scheduled an appointment with the Spine surgery specialist. The doctor patiently heard her story and examined the deformity. He then suggested a series of X-rays and CT scan to measure the extent the deformity. After radiological investigations the doctor revealed that she had a kyphosis measuring 70 degrees and her neck was displaced forward from her torso by 16cms.

The doctor explained her in details how the deformity had progressed over years and that the deformity can be corrected surgically in a safe manner. When she expressed her concern over possible paraplegia, the doctor assured that he and his team would take all adequate precautions to ensure that the surgical procedure was conducted safely with minimum spinal-cord manipulation. She was thrilled to know that she can walk next day after the surgery. The doctor’s enthusiasm gave her the confidence to go ahead with major surgical correction of the kyphosis deformity. She finally went through the complex surgery.

Recovery:

After surgery she said “I woke up a few hours later with lots of beeping machines around me. The surgeon greeted me and ascertained that the surgery was successful. He showed me the X-ray after the surgery and I was relieved to see my back bone was indeed straight. Phew! I had a straight back”. The next day she was assisted by the physiotherapist to walk a short distance. She felt straighter, taller and had gained 4cms of height. She was ready to bear little bit of pain and insisted on the physiotherapist to make her walk often. Within three days she was back to room with family and by day 5 she was able to walk without anyone’s help.

Today:

Now she says “I can walk straighter and gaze horizontally. The thought of my suffering during my deformity years still sends shiver down my spine. Whenever I see anyone with deformity in Spine I suggest them to go to MIOT hospitals”.

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