强直性脊柱炎and Your Mental Health

澳大利亚墨尔本的心理学家凯特凯尔凯莉，博士表示，这是一个可能难以诊断的慢性条件。甚至诊断出来的一次，她说，弄清楚治疗可以是久的审判和错误的过程 - 而且这些不确定性的广泛的不确定性导致心理困扰。简单地知道这种痛苦正常，凯利说，可能是不可避免的可以帮助。但有支持也是至关重要的。依靠朋友和家人，也寻求专业的治疗师 - 心理学家，精神科医生，许可的社会工作者，或许可的专业顾问。

在一项关于患者245名的研究中，研究人员发现，觉得“掌握”-A控制的人们对其疾病管理的患者不太可能经历抑郁症状而不是那些没有的人。那么你如何掌握？研究作者结束了，通过尽可能多地学习和积极主动地积极主动。将问题列表带到您的医生预约，如果您对诊断或治疗的任何部分感到不安，请获得第二种意见，并加入AS支持组。你只是通过阅读这一点来掌握的路上！

因为痛苦可以迅速加快所有的情绪和身体能量。保持理智，优先考虑痛苦管理。勤于服用医生规定的抗炎非甾体药物（NSAID）和其他疗法。如果那些没有为你切割它，让你的风湿病学家知道！还有其他治疗方法，包括生物学（TNF或IL-17阻滞剂），皮质类固醇射击，甚至可以考虑的手术。询问医疗大麻（可能对痛苦有谦虚的影响），并为身体治疗师推荐，他们可以教授如何伸展和使用寒冷和热疗以减少疼痛。

有些日子，运动是不可能的 - 那没关系！休斯顿风湿病学中心的风湿病学者，Nilanjana Bose，M.D.这不是一个好主意。但是当你感受到散步或由您的物理治疗师批准的少数练习时，它可以使其成为一个不同的世界。额外的磅将压力更多的压力，因此减肥可以减轻疼痛。练习还有助于改善您的联合的动作范围，并加强支持您骨骼的肌肉，使您可以尽可能地留下移动。运动可以帮助您更好地睡觉。

出于许多同样的原因，锻炼可以帮助改善整体福祉，所以也可以在红肉和加工零食和复杂的碳水化合物和水果和蔬菜中加工零食和高的健康饮食。但我们猜你已经知道了。事实是，“你可能有时必须选择更快，更健康或更多的卡路里密集的食物，因为你不能每天多次烹饪，”凯莉博士说。她说，听你的身体，尽力而为。内疚不会做你的思想或身体任何兴趣。

你的痛苦导致睡眠失去，让你太累了去散步，说，或见到朋友喝咖啡。结果，你开始觉得自己错过了生活。你的希望Dwindles，让一切更加困难。注意当你觉得自己滑下来螺旋并做点什么来扭转它时，建议凯利博士：安排治疗会议;走到海滩的变化变化;向医生询问可能更好地控制疼痛的药物;期刊。你的感受。一个积极的，积极的经验可以激发一个upwardspiral!

AS-related fatigue can trigger a downward emotional spiral. Half of all people with AS suffer from severe fatigue, according to one study. So in addition to managing your pain (which can keep you up at night), try these snooze strategies: Suggest a “sleep divorce” (sleeping in separate beds or rooms) if your partner is keeping you up; use a meditation app likeCalmorHeadspace;下载CBT-I Coach应用程序，教授失眠的认知行为治疗技术。如果没有作用，请询问您的风湿病学有关Rx Amitiptyline，可以帮助疼痛和睡眠。

A condition that can sometimes pairs up with AS is thyroid disease, says Jeffrey Sparks, M.D., a rheumatologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA. Low thyroid activity,hypothyroidism, causes fatigue, anxiety, and irritability. If you’re still feeling exhausted and low after your AS treatment, it’s reasonable to ask your doctor for a blood test to check for hypothyroidism, he says, even if you don’t have some of the other symptoms of the condition, including weight gain, constipation, dizziness, muscle cramps, a hoarse voice, and dry, scaly skin.

Hypothyroidism isn't the only AS comorbidity (a disease or medical condition that exists simultaneously with your primary one) that could be behind, at least in part, your fatigue and low mood. Anemia, a deficiency of red blood cells, is common amongst people with AS and can be caused by the same inflammation that's behind your AS, says Dr. Sparks. So if, in addition to feeling like a zombie, you have shortness of breath, dizziness, cold hands or feet, paleness, or chest pain, ask for a simple blood test to determine if anemia is behind your exhaustion.

Even if you exercise, eat right, meditate, and go to therapy, not every day will be rainbows and unicorns. “We need to recognize that this condition is chronic and not going away,” says Dr. Kelly. “We have to approach it as a marathon, not a sprint. Work towards a positive rolling average. Acknowledge that some days will be better and some will be harder, and then adapt accordingly.” The adaptations you make—trading running for walking, say, or moving to a single-floor home—should never be considered as failures, but rather huge successes in living positively with this disease.