Q: I am suffering from spondyloarthropathy. My LFT report is not normal. I am doing some exercises regularly but not taking any drugs for the disease. What should I do? Is this disease curable? How can I cope up with the pain?

A:I can understand the agony you are going through, but you should take your drugs as per your doctor’s advice to reduce the inflammation and pain. The conservative treatment includes physiotherapy which includes:- 1. Take steam baths preceding the exercises to control the pain and stiffness. You can take deep heat if there is chronic spasm. 2. Learn small range mobilizations from your physiotherapist and incorporate them in your daily activities. 3. Try swimming if it is convenient for you. 4. Do free active exercises with deep breathing. 5. Adopt proper body postures and avoid those that increase pain and stiffness leading to deformities. 6. Try repeated lying on abdomen and extending your spine. Also try lateral bending with deep breathing. 7. Avoid tendency to stoop and make isometric shoulder bracing a par of your routine. 8. On the whole, your effort should be to keep the joints of your spine and shoulders mobile and good breathing capacity.