“It hurts all the time.” Singer Louane revealed in the podcast Alice Underground Of photographer Alice Half, who suffers from ankylosing spondylitis, an unknown pathology.
This term is used less less in favor of spondylartritis, which covers more forms of the disease. Delphine Lafarge, president of the French Association of Spondyloartritis (AFS) has noticed a renewed interest in this disease for a few days.
“So far there was no personality of the show identified so far. It is important to be able to give more visibility to this invisible, disabled or even deactivating disease, which makes people suffer from people,” reacts to BFMTV.
• Inflammatory and chronic rheumatism
It is a disease that affects column and joints. The National Institute of Medical and Medical Research (INSERM) describes spondylartritis as inflammatory and chronic rheumatisms. Mainly affect the lumbar and basin region. It can also affect other body joints or manifest through psoriasis.
“They can be severe and disabling, because they gradually destroy the integrity of the joints and promote the ossification of the spine,” writes the institute in a file published in 2023.
They are often declared among young adults between 16 and 30 years and would receive 150,000 to 200,000 people in France, almost half of which have severe forms, Inserm adds.
• A disease caused by its immune system
Spondyloarthritis are autoimmune diseases. Researchers have observed that patients in the patient’s immune system react abnormally when secreting inflammatory molecules that results in the progressive degradation of the joint.
“The origin of the phenomenon is still unknown. According to the currently privileged hypothesis, it would be activated in response to factors secreted by the intestinal microbiota,” specifies the insertm. Environmental factors may also be involved as tobacco.
Genetic factors make it possible to say that hereditary factors are working.
“The epidemiology of these diseases shows a strong family aggregation of cases, an observation that made it possible to highlight a genetic land of predisposition,” the institute specifies.
• Complicated diagnoses and evolutionary forms
The France Spondyloarthritis association, which has supported patients, has been achieved by this disease for 25 years, explains that “the disease often remains diagnosed too late.”
“Early diagnosis is a long and difficult course. Radiological signs of joint alteration are not always visible at the beginning of the disease, but some blood tests can provide useful information,” the association said in place.
Inserm
Biological exams and image exams improve the identification of the symptoms of the disease that manifests itself by pain, joint swelling but also extrarticular disorders such as inflammation of the urinary system or the eye.
Delphine Lafarge deplora that research in rheumatology around this disease has been limited. “Spondylartritis has long been the poor father of research that has focused a lot on polyartitis. Thanks to research we could have even more options to limit the disease.”
• Therapeutic options are developed
Early management, disease and its symptoms can be more tolerable for the patient. Therapeutic options are offered to limit inflammation and preserve joints.
Louane he said in his interview “,[faire] Be careful what is not too inflammatory and I do many pilates, “applies the advice provided by rheumatologists.
In fact, physical activity is highly recommended because it promotes disease control. On the contrary, rest would exacerbate disorders.
“Twenty years ago, when you had a crisis, we advise you to stay in bed sometimes several months. This is the opposite of what we recommend today, that is, the progress that has been done,” says the president of the French Association of Spondyloartritis.
Physiotherapy or even surgery are used. Non -steroidal anti -inflammatory medications are often prescribed in the first intention. Its side effects are sometimes difficult to live. There are other pharmacological treatments and biotherapies when “first line” treatments do not satisfy.
Source: BFM TV
