Login
What is Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes pain and stiffness in your spine. This chronic condition usually starts in your lower back and spreads to your neck. Normally, the joints and ligaments in the spine help us move and bend. If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply. If you have this condition, over time, the swelling in the joints and tissues of the spine can interfere with your movements and daily activities. This may also affect the quality of life that you will have.
What are the Causes of Ankylosing Spondylitis?
The causes of this condition have an unknown specific cause, yet genetic aspects called HLA-B27 are at a seriously increased risk of developing this condition. Doctors think it tells your immune system to attack some common bacteria in your body and sets off AS symptoms.
What are its Symptoms?
- Early morning stiffness
- Back pain, usually most severe at night during rest
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Anemia
- Fever
- Mild eye inflammation
- Joint pain
- Organ damage, such as to the eyes, heart, and lungs
- Skin rashes
- Stiff spine and back pain
- Stooped posture in response to back pain
- Incapability to take a deep breath
- Appetite loss
- Digestive illness
What are the Risk Factors of Ankylosing Spondylitis?
- Gender. Men are more likely at risk to develop AS than women. Women tend to have a milder form of AS called non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.
- Age. This condition often starts in your teens and young adulthood. About 80% of cases begin before the person turns 30, and 95% by age 45.
How Common is Ankylosing Spondylitis?
This condition affects between three and 13 out of 1,000 Americans who have one of these diseases. Anyone can get AS, although it affects more men than women. Symptoms usually appear in people between the ages of 17 and 45. It has a genetic link and may run in families.
When to See a Doctor?
Seek medical attention if you have low back pain that came on slowly, is worse in the morning, or awakens you from your sleep in the second half of the night. See an eye specialist immediately if you develop a painful red eye, severe light sensitivity, or blurred vision.
Possible Complications Caused by Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Eye inflammation. It can cause rapid-onset eye pain, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision. See your doctor right away if you develop these symptoms.
- Compression fractures. Some people’s bones weaken during the early stages of AS. Vertebral fractures can put pressure on and possibly injure the spinal cord and the nerves that pass through the spine.
- Heart conditions. It can cause problems with the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The inflamed aorta can enlarge to the point that it distorts the shape of the aortic valve in the heart, which impairs its function.
How to Diagnose Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Your doctor will assess your overall condition including the range of pain by pressing on specific portions of your pelvis or by moving your legs into a specific position. Your doctor may also ask you to take a deep breath to see if you have trouble expanding your chest.
Imaging tests such as this will also help your doctor see some changes in joints and bones, though the visible signs of AS might not be evident early in the disease. Your doctor may also use MRI to see more-detailed images of bones and soft tissues. Your doctor may also order further laboratory testing such as a blood test for the HLA-B27 gene to determine the diagnosis.
Treatment for Ankylosing Spondylitis
The goal of the treatment is to relieve pain and stiffness and prevent or delay complications and spinal deformity. Physical therapy, surgery, and other recommended actions are helpful with your recovery. Naproxen is also helpful for people with this condition. It works by reducing the hormone that causes pain in the body.
