How do I choose a treatment plan for ankylosing spondylitis?

  General Treatment: Patients must understand that although pain and stiffness, which are well controlled with appropriate non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, regular therapeutic physical exercise is the most important treatment to reduce or prevent deformity and disability. Patients must walk upright and do regular back stretches. Sleep on a hard bed and lie flat with the pillows removed, preferably on the back or with the back extended and prone, avoiding curled side lying. Advise the patient to quit smoking and to do regular deep whistling exercises to maintain normal chest expansion. Swimming is the best form of exercise for patients with ankylosing crestitis. Wearing a snorkel and a ventilator allows patients with significant neck flexion deformity to do freestyle exercises.  Medication: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, reduce morning stiffness and muscle spasm, and are mainly used to relieve symptoms. Commonly used drugs are ibuprofen, fotarine, indomethacin suppositories. Side effects include gastrointestinal reactions, skin rash, kidney damage, prolonged bleeding time, etc.  Glucocorticoids: not for routine use, mainly for acute iritis, uveitis; allergic to NSAIDs, or severe arthritis with NSAIDs is ineffective, can be small doses of oral or local injection, not advocate long-term use.  Slow-acting drugs: used to control disease activity. The efficacy of the more affirmative are salazosulfapyridine, methotrexate, and rhodopsin. These drugs can be used alone or in combination with foreign studies have shown that these drugs are effective in patients with peripheral joint involvement, but are not effective in medial joint involvement, which should be noted!  Biologic agents: In recent years, the more recognized biologic agents are tumor necrosis factor antagonists such as adalimumab and infliximab. This class of drugs is the only one that is effective on the medial joint!  Surgical treatment: synovectomy, tendon, ligament and capsule reconstruction, joint and crestal fusion, etc.