--- title: "Experience report: Bechterew's disease – pain gone – Gastein Healing Gallery" url: 'https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/experience-report-bechterews-disease-pain/' description: "Patient overcomes his Bechterew's disease pain. Three years ago, he used walking aids; today, he no longer needs medication. Read about his experiences..." image: 'https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/2/0/csm_radonstollen-gastein-luftbild-10_d315b7ae9d.webp' date: '2025-10-01' modified: '2025-10-01' lastUpdated: '2025-11-21' type: website site: 'Gasteiner Heilstollen' --- # Experience report: Bechterew's disease – pain gone – Gastein Healing Gallery "My quality of life is now at 99 percent." ========================================== Ankylosing spondylitis ---------------------- At not even 51 years of age, Günter Müller's life is almost over. He has been suffering from the pain of Bechterew's disease for over 30 years, can hardly move, loses his job and all his social contacts. He can only get around with crutches or a walker, taking almost 40 minutes to cover a distance of 500 meters. By chance, he finds a newspaper article about radon therapy in the Gastein Healing Gallery in Austria. He decided to give it a try and repeated his radon treatment for ankylosing spondylitis the following year. Two years later, he no longer needed to take any of his daily tablets. His ankylosing spondylitis pain disappeared and he now leads a completely normal life. He rides his bike, goes hiking in Madeira, bought a motorcycle sidecar, and is participating in life again. We spoke with him about this extraordinary success with ankylosing spondylitis: --- Mr. Müller, how did you find out that you had Bechterew's disease? ![Portrait of Bechterew's disease patient Müller Günther in the healing gallery.](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/0/9/csm_guenther-mueller-morbus-bechterew-gasteiner-heilstollen-02_f803c5ac36.webp "[Translate to Englisch:] ") "My ankylosing spondylitis began quite classically with pain in my lower back. That was more than 30 years ago and was a very gradual process. At first, no one noticed that I had ankylosing spondylitis. The doctors suspected pyelonephritis, muscle tension, herniated discs, and many other diseases. It was only after many years, during which my Bechterew's disease pain continued to increase, that HLAB 27 was detected at a rheumatology clinic and the correct diagnosis was made." Further information on: What is Bechterew's disease? What treatments did you receive? "I don't remember exactly, just everything that was available to the doctors. I was given all kinds of medications and therapies and spent the next 20 years in a total of 23 rehabilitation facilities and hospitals because nothing helped. Sometimes I spent up to 14 weeks at a time in pain, rheumatism, and psychosomatic clinics. But my Bechterew's disease pain remained and became increasingly severe." That must have been frustrating. "Very much so. The weeks and months of treatment and the pain caused by ankylosing spondylitis were very grueling. I could no longer do my job in the research and development department at Volkswagen and withdrew more and more from everything. Over the years, my marriage and another relationship failed. The pain makes you unbearable. I also lost more and more friends as a result. No wonder that at some point, a psychological problem joined my Bechterew's disease pain. I was lonely, became severely depressed, stopped leaving my apartment, and basically just sat on my sofa all day with my Bechterew's disease pain. That was no longer a life!" You haven't left the house at all? ![Portrait of Bechterew's disease patient Guenter Mueller in the healing gallery.](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/2/e/csm_guenter-mueller-morbus-bechterew-gasteiner-heilstollen_1af4b1bc9c.webp)Günter Müller before undergoing treatment in the Gastein Healing Gallery "Hardly at all. I was dependent on my assistants and my walker, and at times in the hospital I was even confined to a wheelchair. I sat on my sofa and just watched TV. I could hardly move and if I dropped something, I had to use an extension tong to pick it up. There is a small bistro about 500 meters from my apartment. I walked there every evening to eat something warm at least once a day. Because cooking was out of the question. It took about 40 minutes each way and was my only social contact with the outside world. Basically, my life was over at the age of 51 and no longer worth living. Despite the many pills, I was in unbearable pain every day, was almost completely immobile, and had gained a good 25 kilos." How long have you been tormenting yourself like this? "For about six years, I was just a miserable wreck." How did you manage to break out of this vicious circle? "When I became unable to work in 2009, my employer gave me a promise of reemployment. So at VW, they kept a job open for me in case I recovered. At the end of 2015, I realized that this no longer made sense for me, and I informed my former employer that they could fill the position with someone else. What totally surprised me was a severance payment that was deposited into my account, giving me some unexpected money." What did you do with it? Since I couldn't do anything for years because of the pain caused by Bechterew's disease, my apartment looked terrible. So I had it renovated with the money. When I moved back in, I tidied up and found a newspaper article about the therapy offered at the Gastein Healing Gallery in Austria. And then you went to the healing gallery? "Of course not! I had been through so many hospital and rehabilitation stays, all of which had been unsuccessful. The article mentioned a 50 percent reduction in medication and an 80 percent improvement in pain for Bechterew's disease. I didn't believe it." But then you went to Gastein after all and took a cure. Why? At some point, I thought to myself, even if only half of it is true, that would still be something. And I hadn't been on vacation for decades. So in 2016, I went to Gastein for two and a half weeks and did a treatment with eight visits to the Gastein Healing Gallery. ![Patient with fibromyalgia lies relaxed on a couch in Station 1a of the Gastein Healing Gallery.](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/7/c/csm_patientin-fibromylagie-entspannt-im_heilstollen-04_002c4ce123.webp "Gastein Healing Gallery")During his first stay, Günter Müller made eight trips into the Gastein Healing Gallery. Did you notice any effects of the healing gallery while you were there? "No, not at all. Not even after I had been home for two and a half months again. I was sure that it hadn't worked again." But something has happened, hasn't it? "Yes, but I hardly noticed it myself. During my evening trip to the bistro, others suddenly noticed that I was walking faster and more smoothly than usual. So I started to lengthen my return trip a little and took detours. About six months after the treatment, I put the walking aid in the corner—I haven't used it since." Were you able to stop taking medication? "Yes! I went to my family doctor to discuss it, and I'll never forget the look on his face when I stood there without any walking aids. He could hardly believe it. But he didn't want to reduce the medication for ankylosing spondylitis and the pain. So I insisted and started detoxing from the opiates and other medications. I was able to stop taking about half of the medication in 2016. The more I reduced it, the better I felt. My walking got better and better, so the following year, in 2017, I went back to the healing gallery in Austria. This time for four weeks and a total of 12 visits to the healing gallery. Has your Bechterew's disease pain decreased even more? My Bechterew's disease pain gradually subsided. I no longer take any medication. I have become a new person, and happiness has also come my way. I unexpectedly came into some money. Among other things, I used it to buy a used sports convertible. In the past, I would never have been able to get out of such a low, sporty car. I drove the car from Siegen on Lake Constance to Wolfsburg in 30-degree heat, sunshine, and with the top down. I don't think I've ever felt so free and happy in the last few decades." ![A patient's previous medications Gastein Healing Gallery](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/0/0/csm_medikamente-heilstollen_a26100ccf0.webp) What else has changed in your life? "The pain caused by ankylosing spondylitis no longer dominates my life. My energy levels are back to normal, so to speak. I bought a motorcycle with a sidecar and an e-bike, which I now use frequently. I still have a lot of work to do on my fitness, but I'm exercising more and more and have already lost 20 kilos. I'm meeting more and more interesting people, I'm eager to learn new things, I go hiking on vacation – suddenly, life is so much fun. I want to enjoy life now, while I can." You've had to wait a long time for that. "That's right. I really appreciate what I have now. I still can't believe it's possible. My Bechterew's disease and the resulting illnesses have cost me half my life, and I don't know if the disease will return at some point. That's why I now try to do everything that is fun and possible for me. Once a year, I travel at my own expense to the Gastein Healing Gallery in Austria. It's worth it to me because health is priceless anyway. Do you have any wishes for the future? "First of all, I want to stay pain-free and healthy for as long as possible. This winter, I'm traveling to South Africa for two months. And if I find a suitable partner to spend my twilight years with, my happiness would be almost complete." We're keeping our fingers crossed for you and wish you all the best for the future, especially good health! --- More posts ---------- [![A patient with rheumatoid arthritis looks out of the train compartment with other patients and smiles.](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/1/4/csm_patientin-rheumatoide-arthritis-schaut-aus-zugabteil-gasteiner-heilstollen_9f1fd5f712.webp)](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/how-the-healing-gallery-helps-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-ankylosing-spondylitis/) [How the healing gallery helps with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/how-the-healing-gallery-helps-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-ankylosing-spondylitis/) [![Patient with Bechterew's disease sits on a locomotive in the Gastein Healing 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people](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-also-affects-young-people/) [![Bild der Frau, September 7, 2022, Austria, Bad Gastein Patient story: Gastein Healing Gallery Sabine Cauli, rheumatic disease, ankylosing spondylitis Photo: Marion Vogel](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/f/c/csm_Sabine_Cauli_086_6f390a82cd.webp)](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-experiences-of-a-patient/) [Ankylosing spondylitis: experiences of a patient](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-experiences-of-a-patient/) [![Gruber Günther with Tatoo at the healing gallery.](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/9/4/csm_gruber-g%C3%BCnther-tatoo_d4643e09e4.webp)](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/when-the-healing-gallery-gets-under-your-skin/) [When the healing gallery gets under your skin](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/when-the-healing-gallery-gets-under-your-skin/) [![Patient with ankylosing spondylitis in the outdoor area of the Gastein Healing Gallery during the coronavirus pandemic.](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/c/6/csm_patient-morbus-bechterew-im_au%C3%9Fenbereich-heilstollen-waehrend-corona_45a4d4f080.webp)](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-hardly-any-stiffness-thanks-to-healing-gallery/) [Ankylosing spondylitis: Hardly any stiffness thanks to healing gallery](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-hardly-any-stiffness-thanks-to-healing-gallery/) [![Train enters the radon tunnel](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/7/4/csm_zug-im-gasteiner-heilstollen-_d695b10ab4.webp)](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-terminal-stage-in-your-mid-twenties/) [Ankylosing spondylitis: Terminal stage in your mid-twenties?](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-terminal-stage-in-your-mid-twenties/) [![A patient with ankylosing spondylitis is standing in a meadow holding hiking poles in her hands.](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/fileadmin/_processed_/d/c/csm_patientin-morbus-bechterew-steht-bad-gastein_072c4b10e0.webp)](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-hardly-any-flare-ups-thanks-to-healing-gallery-therapy/) [Ankylosing spondylitis: Hardly any flare-ups thanks to healing gallery therapy](https://www.gasteiner-heilstollen.com/en/magazin/ankylosing-spondylitis-hardly-any-flare-ups-thanks-to-healing-gallery-therapy/) [![Portrait of Bechterew's disease patient Harald Bauernfeind Pabst in the healing 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