The chronic pain of ankylosing spondylitis and axial spondylitis can be all-consuming, debilitating and scary.

For most people with AS, reducing or eliminating pain is priority number one.

My own worst experiences of pain were at night. I would wander around the house in the dark; bent over and crying as quietly as I could. It hurt to lie, stand, sit and move and I was so sleep deprived I felt close to losing my mind.

I would have done just about anything to get out of pain at that point, but I was so lost in the fog and overwhelm that I didn’t know where to begin.

The Dangers of ‘Toughing it Out’

Reducing pain levels by extinguishing the raging fire of inflammation is a crucial first step towards a better life with AS. Not only does unchecked pain hold you hostage by clouding your thinking and sapping your motivation, living with severe ongoing pain can actually have serious long-term effects.

The repeated experience of pain over time can re-wire the brain into a habit of experiencing those feelings, even when the physical source is no longer present. In other words, your brain can get so used to feeling painful sensations that it forgets how to switch them off.

Pain can cause depression, isolation and a dramatically reduced quality of life. Like all symptoms, it’s an important message from your body that something is wrong which needs to be addressed.

Important decisions only you can make

A key question I often use in coaching is ‘What are you prepared to do to get out of pain?’. This is valuable in setting boundaries, creating a long term health vision and figuring out the best next step for you right now. It opens up areas to explore such as:

What are your preferences and boundaries around medication?

What routines or habits are you willing to commit to?

What expert help is available to you to help manage your pain?

What does quality of life mean for you?

How could your life be different if your pain was under control?

These are all important questions that only you can answer. The responses you come up with are unique to you because they are determined by your values, strengths and life experience.

My goal for each of my clients is to see them get back in the driver’s seat and feel empowered over their diagnosis. Asking meaningful questions and exploring topics together allows that to happen. Respecting you as the expert of your own life and entering a non-judgemental space brings clarity and can open up new options to investigate.

Finding your own way out of pain

My approach to pain management has evolved throughout the years since my diagnosis. While some people find complete relief through biologics or cannabis or a particular diet, I never did find that one magic bullet. My pathway out of the pain of ankylosing spondylitis (and I am virtually pain free these days) has been a combination of many different approaches; positive steps that have added up over time to a great result.

Those of us with AS make up a special club. Our pain is an experience none of us would have chosen, but we’ve made our way through it and we’re still here.

What has your experience with pain taught you about your own resilience?

How can you show yourself compassion on the days when the pain feels overwhelming?

What needs to happen next to give you some much needed relief?

If you need some help figuring it out, let’s talk.

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For most individuals dealing with AS, it's common

Is there a universally agreed upon diet for AS? Do

Easy lunch.. vegetables simmered in meat stock. I’ll add some cooked chicken and garlic in the last few minutes then serve with kraut. Tasty and nourishing!

I’ve been doing some intensive gut healing these past few weeks so this is what most of my meals look like. I learned this way of eating on the GAPS protocol and it’s my go-to routine whenever my body needs some extra support.

While my AS symptoms have been mild lately, I’ve been diagnosed with a different condition called hyperparathyroidism.

This will hopefully be corrected with surgery, which I’m now eagerly awaiting. The symptoms are not drastic but I’ve had enough of the lingering stomach pain, nausea and fatigue.

Supporting my gut health helps ease the symptoms and is setting me up for a good recovery post-surgery.

It’s reminded me how much I enjoy and benefit from this way of eating. Simple, real food that ticks all the boxes!
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#axialspondyloarthritis #ankylosingspondylitis #guthealth #gapsdiet #hyperparathyroidism #realfood #meatstock #healyourgut #arthritis #inflammation

Don't lose sight of the impact you can have over y

May is almost over and we are entering our final d

"Online forums are filled with people whose lives

Today is World AS Day. It’s a day to raise awa $Today is World AS Day. It’s a day to raise awareness and honour those who live each day with Axial Spondyloarthritis (Ankylosing Spondylitis). AS is a progressive, incurable disease that affects an estimated 6.5 million people worldwide. That’s more than MS, ALS, and CF combined. AS is a painful form of arthritis which primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints. It can also cause serious eye, heart, gut and skin complications and affect the ribs, feet and peripheral joints and tendons. As a disease, AS is notoriously difficult to diagnose. The current delay to diagnosis is 8 years after symptoms begin. During this time sufferers live with high levels of pain and sleep deprivation. They are often dismissed by medical institutions as back pain is such a vague symptom and awareness is still an issue. AS was traditionally thought of as a man’s disease so the delay to diagnosis is particularly problematic for women. Over time (and without treatment or lifestyle change) AS frequently results in bone fusion in the spine and pelvic bones. This causes disability and further pain, with limited mobility and increased risk of spinal fractures. The cause of AS remains inconclusive but there is a strong genetic tendency passed down through families via HLA-B27. Symptoms indicating possible AS include lower back pain that worsens with rest and improves with movement, pain centred in the hips or buttocks that radiates into the legs, back pain accompanied by inflammatory bowel symptoms or psoriasis. Please help raise awareness by sharing this post. ————————————— #worldasday2023 #axialspondyloarthritis #ankylosingspondylitis #ankylosingspondylitisawarenessmonth #ankylosing #spondyloarthritis #axialspondyloarthritisawareness #aswarrior #aswarriors #autoimmunearthritis #ibd #ulcerativecolitis #crohns #psoriasis #psoriaticarthritis #inflammation #autoimmune #aip$

#walkasone #walkyourasoff2023 #moveyourasaustralia

Testimonials

“As coaches we learn how the foundation of good coaching begins and ends with being fully present and hearing what your client is saying. You always can tell when you are really showing up for your client when you see and hear it in their voice that you are truly hearing them.It wasn’t until I was on the other side of this that I truly grasped the power of listening. When Anne-Marie coaches me she has the innate ability to reflect back what she hears without me even having said the words. That to me is masterful coaching and something that I will keep coming back to with Anne-Marie. To have someone like Anne-Marie in my corner to help me navigate the twists and turns of my life is invaluable. “

Andrew

Ankylosing Spondylitis - Axial Spondyloarthritis

The chronic pain of ankylosing spondylitis and axial spondylitis can be all-consuming, debilitating and scary.

The Dangers of ‘Toughing it Out’

Important decisions only you can make