Anne W. Hansen 
Mick Mars, whose real name is Robert Alan Deal is an American musician and guitarist.
Mick Mars’ more than 3 decades with ‘Mötley Crüe’ band
Mars was with bass guitarist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, and singer Vince Neilin the heavy metal band, Mötley Crüe from 1981 to 2015 when the group dispersed. A school drop-out Mick Mars began playing guitar in the 1970s for a number of failed unsuccessful blues-based rock bands. A decade after, a realization loomed and he revived himself changing his name and doing an image change.
Mick Mars has had a hand as a solo guitarist on a number of songs and also co-written songs with the band as well as for other bands. Some of his songs and albums where he played the guitar are Hinder’s 2008 album ‘Take It To The Limit’, song ‘Into The Light’ by Papa Roach, 2009 album ‘Metamorphosis’, Rock Star’s song ‘The Question’, and an album ‘Inside Out’.
He also co-wrote the song ‘Escape the Fate’, and 2 songs for the 2007 album ‘The Unattractive Revolution’. He also co-wrote for the bands, Machina and Evanescence.
Mick Mars was thrilled and wanting to endure with the band’s concerts, tours, albums, and songs. Music was his obsession and he would have endured making it had it not been for his health concerns.
Mick Mars’ Spinal Problem
Mick Mars has been facing health problem since he was 17 years of age. He has been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Mick Mars had a basic problem to initiate with but the pain and immobilization of his spine increased gradually over a time period.
Mick Mars had labeled it an inconvenience in one of the interviews a few years back. But step by step the pain and freezing of his lower back had resulted in a lot of other issues. He was operated for hip issues and a total hip replacement was operated on him in 2004.
However, Mick Mars rejected to allow his health and crippling joint disease to edict his life. Mick Mars used to laugh out his health condition which has caused to change in his physical caliber over the years. He has become a little bent due to his disease. He had said:
“I am able to keep touring. I have days that are worse than others, and there is always some amount of pain with my hips. There are good days and bad days, but it is more of an inconvenience than anything else. I don’t feel sick.”
He further added:
“There are a lot of people that go around that suffer from this type of thing, and they go to their doctor, and he tells them that they will be in a wheelchair. My advice to them is to go to another doctor because he is wrong. There are some things about this thing that I’ve got that are not so cool, but there is one thing that is cool: I ended up bent. I can always see my guitar.”
He also suffered an eye pain due to associated ‘iritis’. Mars also ditched with a bad girlfriend and painkiller medicine addiction. Sixx sustained him out of this bad time and got a good doctor who sorted out the problems in Mars’ life. A friend indeed!
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis of the spine which causes pain and stiffness of the spine.
Usually, young males are more likely to have it and lead gradually to a stooped posture.
Who Is Affected by Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis affects approximately about 0.1% to 0.5% of the adult population. While it can occur at any age, spondylitis most often strikes men in their teens and 20s.
It is less common and generally moderate in women and more typical in some Native American tribes.
What Are the Symptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis?
The most common early symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis are as follows:
Pain and stiffness
Constant pain and stiffness in the low back, buttocks, and hips that endured for more than three months. Spondylitis mostly initiates around the sacroiliac joints, where the sacrum (the lowest major part of the spine) joins the ilium bone of the pelvis in the lower back region.
Bony fusion
It can cause an overgrowth of the bones, which may result in the abnormal joining of bones, called “bony fusion”.
Fusion affecting bones of the neck, back, or hips may debilitate a person’s ability to perform routine activities.
Fusion of the ribs to the spine or breastbone may tarnish a person’s ability to expand his or her chest when taking a deep breath.
Pain in ligaments and tendons
Spondylitis also may upset some of the ligaments and tendons that attach to bones.
Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendon) may lead to pain and stiffness in the area behind or beneath the heel, such as the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a kind of systemic disease, which means symptoms may not be limited to the joints. People with the condition also may show symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Eye inflammation (redness and pain) also occurs in some people with spondylitis. In rare cases, lung and heart problems also may invest.
What Causes Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Although the cause of ankylosing spondylitis is obscure, there is a strong genetic or family association. Most, but not all, people suffering from spondylitis carry a gene called HLA-B27. Although people carrying this gene are more prone to develop spondylitis. It is also found approximately up to 10% of people who have no signs of the condition.
How Is Ankylosing Spondylitis Treated?
There is no antidote for ankylosing spondylitis, but there are several treatments that can minimize reduce discomfort and improve function.
The aims of treatment are to decrease pain and stiffness, maintain a good posture, prevent deformity, and preserve the caliber to perform normal activities.
When properly treated, people with ankylosing spondylitis may live a fairly normal life. Under ideal sphere, a team approach to treat spondylitis is suggested. Members of the treatment team basically include the patient, doctor, physical therapist, and occupational therapist. In patients with more serious deformities, osteotomy and fusion following measures can be used:
Physical and occupational therapy
Early intervention with physical and occupational therapy is crucial to maintain function and reduce deformity.
Exercise
A program of regular exercise benefits to reduce stiffness, strengthen the muscles around the joints and prevent or minimize the risk of disability.
Deep breathing exercises may also aid to keep the chest cage flexible. Swimming is an excellent type of exercise for people with ankylosing spondylitis.
Medications. Certain drugs help offers relief from pain and stiffness and allows patients to perform their exercises with less discomfort.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are the most commonly used drugs for spondylitis treatment.
In mild to severe cases, other drugs may be added to the treatment regimen. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), like methotrexate (Rheumatrex), can also be used when NSAIDs alone are not enough to minimize the inflammation, stiffness, and pain.
Surgery
Artificial joint replacement surgery may be another treatment option for some people with advanced joint disease affecting the hips or knees.
Moreover, people with spondylitis are suggested to not smoke or chew tobacco products since smoking worsen the condition. obviously, all of the other reasons why doctors curb smoking also apply here as well.
