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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffTo help you manage any pain and stiffness you experience and to halt progression of the disease, try these self-care measures:
- Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise, such as walking or swimming, can increase your endurance, keep your body more nimble and help you cope with DISH. Talk with your doctor before you start an exercise program.
- Achieve and maintain a desirable weight. Since obesity is associated with DISH, losing weight may help keep the disease from progressing and lower your risk of complications.
- Apply heat. Use a heating pad on areas of your body that are affected by diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis to reduce pain. Set the heating pad at a low setting so that it's warm, not hot, to reduce the risk of burns.
References
- Fierstein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/194678336-3/982047756/1807/375.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3285-4..10053-1--s1130_1650. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
- Browner BD. Skeletal Trauma. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2220-6..X1000-6&isbn=978-1-4160-2220-6&uniqId=357104634-4#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2220-6..X1000-6-TOP. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
- Imboden JB, et al. Current Rheumatology Diagnosis & Treatment. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2728875. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
- Taljanovic MS, et al. Imaging characteristics of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperstosis with an emphasis on acute spinal fractures: Review. American Journal of Roentgenology. 2009;193:S10.
- Westerveld LA, et al. Spinal fractures in patients with ankylosing spinal disorders: A systematic review of the literature on treatment, neurological status and complications. European Spine Journal. 2009;18:145.
- Mader R, et al. Extraspinal manifestations of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Rheumatology. 2009;48:1478.
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