Ankylosing spondylitis cannot be cured but there are excellent ways of reducing the symptoms so that it is possible have a job and be active and thus to lead a normal life. The treatment mainly consists of medication combined with physical activity, including specific regular exercises.
The goal with the treatment is to minimise the pain and the stiffness. The medical treatment includes ordinary arthritis drugs, pain-relieving medicine, cortisone (adrenocortical hormone), long-acting arthritis drugs, and biological drugs.
Most patients can cope well with normal arthritis drugs and pain-relieving products whereas the severely affected patients might need to be treated with cortisone, long acting arthritis drugs, and biological drugs. During recent years treatment with biological drugs has lead to a significant breakthrough in the treatment.
