Covenant Family Practice - Ankylosing Spondylitis

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Ankylosing Spondylitis

Written by Robert A Wilson

Friday, 16 February 2007

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Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of joint disease (arthritis) that primarily affects the spine, especially the lower portion and joint at the base of the spine, the sacroiliac. It can affect other joints. It causes inflammation (swelling, tenderness, and warmth) and can eventually cause joints to fuse together. You are more likely to develop it if a family member has it and if you are a teen or young adult male. It is chronic and usually gets worse over time. Treatment can delay or control symptoms but there is no cure.

Symptoms may include:

Mild to severe symptoms

Pain and stiffness in the lower back that are generally worsen in the morning
A "bent forward” position if joints in the back become fused and rigid
Pain that extends from the low back to the neck
Anemia, muscle stiffness, fatigue, weight loss, or loss of appetite
Eye inflammation (uveitis) occurs in about 25% of people with the disease
Joint and bone deformities
Symptoms in other body systems
Periods of flare-ups and remissions (symptom-free)

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Last Updated ( Friday, 08 February 2008 )

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