Spondyloarthritis Spondyloarthritis is an umbrella term for several inflammatory diseases that primarily affect the spine and other joints Spondyloarthritis is an umbrella term for inflammatory diseases that can affect the  back pelvis neck and some larger joints as well as internal organs like the intestines and eyes The most common of these dis-eases is ankylosing spondylitis Others include Psoriatic arthritis Reactive arthritis

Enteropathic arthritis (associated with the inflammatory bowel disease)

Undifferentiated spondyloarthritis Also called spondyloarthropathy or spondylitis these conditions usually develop between ages 17 and 45 But it may occur at younger ages

Causes No one knows what causes spondyloarthritis Researchers believe that genes play a big role For example some people with a gene called HLA-B27 are at greater risk of developing ankylosing spondylitis (AS) Gender may also be a risk factor for AS as men are more likely to develop this condition than women Symptoms For many people the first and predominant symptom of spondyloarthritis is pain in the lower back and hips especially in the morning and after periods of inactivity But pain and swelling can also occur in shoulders hips knees ankles and hands It can range from mild to severe Inflammation may also cause

Redness and pain in the eyes (uveitis or iritis)

Pain and swelling along the tendons of the finger or toes (dactylitis) or where tendons and ligaments meet the bone (enthesitis) which commonly occurs at the back or bottom of the heel

The skin rash of psoriasis an inflammatory skin disease Pain bloating and other stomach symptoms of Chrohnrsquos disease ulcerative colitis or inflammatory bowel

disease Joint symptoms and accompanying fatigue may come and go If untreated inflammatory back symptoms can cause bones in the spine to fuse This makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched-forward posture Diagnosis Diagnosis of spondyloarthritis is based mainly on the results of a medical history and physical exam Doc-tors may order imaging and blood tests to confirm the diagnosis X-rays of the sacroiliac joints a pair of joints in the pelvis often show changes called sacroiliitis in people with spondyloarthritis If these changes do not show up on X-ray but symptoms suggest spondyloarthritis the doctor may take a magnetic resonance image (MRI) that can show these changes before an X-ray can A blood test for the HLA-B27 gene can also help confirm a suspected diagnosis of spondyloarthritis alt-hough not everyone with the gene will develop arthritismdashArthritisorg

Learning you have a chronic disease can be confusing Focus on these four things to start managing axial spon-dyloarthritis including ankylosing spondylitis If you just found out you have axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) you may have mixed feelings You might be worried about the future but also relieved to know whatrsquos wrong Now is a good time to take steps to control your disease Learn All You Can There are two types of axSpA nonradiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) Their symptoms and treatments are the same The difference is that nr-axSpA doesnrsquot show up on X-rays but AS does Pain usually starts in the joints at the base of the spine but it can show up in other joints too Certain connec-tive tissues can also be affected This often happens at your heel making it painful to walk on hard floors An eye problem called uveitis is common in axSpA Yoursquoll have to get your eyes checked at least once per year Ask your doctors what to expect Talk about what medicines are best for you Learn to recognize a flare when to contact your doctor and what you can do at home to feel better Start Exercising Everyone should exercise but itrsquos crucial if you have axSpA Exercise can keep your spine flexible and up-right Swimming yoga tai chi and Pilates are great because they stretch your back But cardio weight training and posture training are just as vital A physical therapist will work with you to develop a well-rounded program Try to go PT as often as your

doctor says and exercise on your own every day in between Partner With Your Doctors Shared decision making is when you work with your health-care team to make choices that align with what you care about most For example axSpA treatment usually involves physical thera-py exercise and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) But maybe NSAIDs like Advil hurt your stom-ach You and your doctor should talk about that and make a plan together A good doctor-patient relationship is built on trust You under-stand and respect your doctorrsquos point of view And your doctor understands and respects yours This kind of medical teamwork improves care and outcomes Stay connected Living with a painful chronic illness can leave you feeling lone-ly isolated and depressed To avoid that hurt stay connected with others and talk about your feelings with someone you trust You may choose a friend or family member Or you can join an online or local support group of people who understand how you feel because theyrsquove walked in your shoesmdash Arthritisorg

Overview Entertaining wonrsquot be a chore with these shrimp skewers on the menu Tapas are small snacks or appetizers that donrsquot take a lot of skill or effort to whip up making them ideal for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) says celebrity chef Seamus Mullen who has RA and has appeared on a variety of Food Network shows To make this recipe you will need a sharp knife for prepping ingredients four bamboo skewers and a skillet for searing Having tongs on hand for turning and picking up the skewers while cooking will also prove help-ful Nutrition information (per serving) Total Fat (142g) Carbohydrates (2g) Sodium (68mg) Sugar (0g) Fiber (1g) Cholesterol (34mg) Protein (5g) Ingredients 3 oz fresh rock shrimp 2 dried guindilla peppers (substitute 1 tsp red pepper flakes if guindillas are unavailable) 1 clove of garlic thinly sliced lengthwise 1 tsp chopped parsley 14 cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Directions 1 Put shrimp on skewers Skewer shrimp on four 6-inch bamboo skewers 2 Make the marinade Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well 3 Marinate the skewers Pour the mixture over the skewers and let them marinate in the refrigerator overnight 4 Season and sear Season the skewers with salt and pepper and sear in a hot pan Arthritis-Friendly Bonuses

This recipe includes ingredients that can benefit your arthritis Garlic for example contains a compound called diallyl disulphine which may reduce the enzymes that damage cartilage and olive oil has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds

Because tapas are meant to be low maintenance you can prepare them in advance or family and friends can pitch in This can relieve some of the burden on you and hopefully reduce the potential for added arthritis pain

Quindilla peppers are mild chilies that are popular in the Basque region of Spain and are often served pick-led as tapas themselves You may find them dried or in jars at your local specialty grocery store

Disclaimer All nutritional information provided is approximate and based on USDA measurements Actual amounts may vary based on exact ingredients used how they are prepared and serving sizemdashArthritisorg

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Theresa Farabaugh Laboratory Assistant

Theresa has been an employee with Altoona Arthritis amp Osteoporosis Center

for the past 30 years Due to the amount of time that Theresa has worked for our

company she has seen many progressions in treatment options In fact when she

first started here she stated that treatment options were limited to Methotrexate gold

and Azulfidine She has seen first-hand how the clinical research that we conduct at

our site has assisted in getting medications FDA approved and how these medica-

tions provide better relief for patients

On an average day Theresa is responsible for helping draw blood for labora-

tory testing and then utilizing the machines in our state certified lab to analyze speci-

mens taken This helps assist the doctors and providers on narrowing down what the exact condition may or

may not be for a patient so that the best fitting treatment plan can be enacted Seeing patients respond to these

treatment plans and to begin feeling better is something Theresa is grateful to see and help with

Through her 30 years with AAOC and ACCR she has watched the practice research center and staff

grow and she states that this has been one of her favorite aspects of working here Theresa has been involved

with countless studies and worked with many patients over the years and she feels that the main thing she has

gained has been patience and understanding of how disease processes can affect a person of any age

When Theresarsquos not at the office she loves to spend her time on her familyrsquos farm with their animals

Theresa Farabaugh Laboratory Assistant

Theresa has been an employee with Altoona Arthritis amp Osteoporosis Center

for the past 30 years Due to the amount of time that Theresa has worked for our

company she has seen many progressions in treatment options In fact when she

first started here she stated that treatment options were limited to Methotrexate gold

and Azulfidine She has seen first-hand how the clinical research that we conduct at

our site has assisted in getting medications FDA approved and how these medica-

tions provide better relief for patients

On an average day Theresa is responsible for helping draw blood for labora-

tory testing and then utilizing the machines in our state certified lab to analyze speci-

mens taken This helps assist the doctors and providers on narrowing down what the exact condition may or

may not be for a patient so that the best fitting treatment plan can be enacted Seeing patients respond to these

treatment plans and to begin feeling better is something Theresa is grateful to see and help with

Through her 30 years with AAOC and ACCR she has watched the practice research center and staff

grow and she states that this has been one of her favorite aspects of working here Theresa has been involved

with countless studies and worked with many patients over the years and she feels that the main thing she has

gained has been patience and understanding of how disease processes can affect a person of any age

When Theresarsquos not at the office she loves to spend her time on her familyrsquos farm with their animals