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NASS Woking and Weybridge

NASS Woking and Weybridge

Address
80 Howards Lane, Rowtown, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 1ES
Telephone
01932 849425
Email
Send message
Web site
http://www.nass.co.uk
http://www.windowonwoking.org.uk/sites/nass
Type of organisation
Advice and Guidance
Charities
Health, Care and Disability
Sport and Recreation
Description

The Woking & Weybridge Branch of the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS) is a self-help group whose sole aim is to improve the lives of sufferers of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) (an incurable, degenerative, chronic rheumatic condition) in our area. We meet weekly at the physiotherapy department of St.Peterīs hospital, Chertsey (off M25 J11) for an organised physiotherapy session. We belong to NASS, a registered medical charity. Its aim is to find new treatments and eventually a cure for AS. This is a long term, expensive commitment. As a group all our costs are covered solely by the subscriptions that we raise from our members. We are very grateful to the management, and our friends in the Rheumatology and Physiotherapy departments at St.Peterīs and Ashford Hospitals NHS Trust for now giving us FREE use of the pool and gym on Tuesday nights. As a group we will ultimately only exist with your support and participation.

What is Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) ?

AS is a painful, progressive, rheumatic disease. It mainly affects the spine but it can also affect other joints, tendons and ligaments. Other areas, such as the eyes, lungs, bowel and heart can also be involved.

Ankylosing means fusing together. Spondylitis indicates inflammation of the vertebrae. Both words come from the Greek. So, AS describes the condition by which some or all of the joints and bones of the spine fuse together. Entire fusing of the spine is unusual. Many people will only have partial fusion, sometimes limited to the pelvic bones.

Inflammation occurs at the site where certain ligaments or tendons attach to bone (enthesis). This is followed by some erosion of bone at the site of the attachment (enthesopathy). As the inflammation subsides, a healing process takes place and new bone develops. Movement becomes restricted where bone replaces the elastic tissue of ligaments or tendons. Repetition of this inflammatory process leads to further bone formation and the individual bones which make up your backbone, the vertebrae, can fuse together. The pelvis is commonly affected first. The lower back, chest wall and neck may also become involved at different times. What Can We Do About AS ? - We Can Fight Back !

We Provide:- Physiotherapy - Informal Discussion - Advice - Hydrotherapy Join us at St.Peter's, Chertsey, Surrey, England Weekly on Tuesday evenings.

Held at St.Peter's hospital, Chertsey (off J11 M25), Physiotherapy Department (in Main block, NOT Abbey Wing) at 7.00 p.m every Tuesday.

Hydro-Pool every first Tuesday in each month.

Gym every other week.

Please follow instructions to get to the Physiotherapy Department in the evening by selecting "Finding St.Peter's" option above.

Woking and Weybridge NASS has members who live in Guildford, Chertsey, Leatherhead, Egham and Ashford (Middx) as well as Woking and Weybridge.

One of our longest-standing members now swears by a "starch-free" diet regime for long-term relief from the symptoms and pain of AS. The details of this diet can be downloaded in the "Starch Free Diet" download on the right.