How Can Chronic Back Pain Be Treated When Diagnosed With Ankylosing Spondylitis?

Posted on Tue, 18 Jul 2017

Question: I am a healthy 52 female with no symptoms of heart disease, low blood pressure, good cholesterol, exercise of 10-12 miles of walking per week. I am 5' 5" and 125 pounds. I have Ankylosing Spondylitis and am scheduled to have an iFuse surgery (45 minute procedure) that can assist me with 21 years of horrible pain. During pre-op, an ECG picked up "possible anterior infarct" and I'm seeing a cardiologist tomorrow. Does this preclude surgery? I will be lost without it - the stress of the pain I endure every day is the worst part of my life. Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Bhanu Partap (42 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Don't worry its just an ECG machine interpretation

Detailed Answer:
Hello Ma'am

After reading the medical details provided by you I can very well understand the pain and discomfort which you have gone through all these years and here I want to tell you that as per your details that you never had any heart issue and considering your age there are very good chances that your cardiologist will clear you for surgery.

But before doing that he might ask you to take few other cardiac tests like, an ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, may be a stress that to make sure your cardiac function is fine.

Now about your ECG results, here I wanna tell you that whatever interpretation comes printed on the ecg paper never ever rely on them as they are just machine interpretation and not diagnosis and most of the times they are wrong.

So don't worry stay positive as now you are going to enjoy a pain free life.

May God Bless

Kind Regards
Dr Bhanu partap

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy