In severe cases, when this happens, the spine can curve and cause a stooped position. Over time, the inflammation associated with ankylosing spondylitis can cause the vertebrae of the spine to fuse together. In some cases, ankylosing spondylitis can be debilitating and lead to disability, according to the SAA. For some, pain may be intermittent while for others it’s chronic. The long-term outlook for people with ankylosing spondylitis can also vary greatly. In some people, ankylosing spondylitis also affects other joints where ligaments or tendons attach to the bone, such as the hips, knees, feet, and shoulders. Some experience mild and sporadic pain, while others experience more severe pain that’s chronic. Other than these factors, ankylosing spondylitis can vary widely from person to person. And early on, ankylosing spondylitis may cause a fever and loss of appetite. Here’s what to know before starting a biologic, the most targeted treatment option for ankylosing spondylitis.įatigue can also be a symptom because the body uses energy to deal with inflammation, according to the SAA. And almost everyone with ankylosing spondylitis experiences flares, periods of time when pain gets worse, followed by remission, which is when symptoms subside. A key sign of ankylosing spondylitis is pain and stiffness that’s worse in the morning or after resting but improves with exercise. Symptoms usually begin with dull back pain and stiffness that develop gradually over weeks or months, according to the SAA. Symptoms of Ankylosing SpondylitisĪnkylosing spondylitis typically comes on at a young age, often between the ages of 17 and 45, according to the Spondylitis Association of America (SAA). Here’s how ankylosing spondylitis could play out and what you can do about it. The right treatment can help slow the progression of the disease, Matteson says. One thing is true for all ankylosing spondylitis cases: Getting treated early is key. “Others have very extensive involvement of the spine.”Īnkylosing spondylitis causes inflammation in the sacroiliac joints, where the spine joins with the pelvis, but in severe cases, the bones in the spine can fuse together and become very stiff, Dr. “Some patients have inflammation limited to the sacroiliac joints, which doesn’t significantly impair their mobility,” he says. The course of the disease is highly variable, says Eric Matteson, MD, professor emeritus of rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
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But for others, this form of arthritis can progress to disability. Some people won’t have trouble with mobility and may even see their disease come to a standstill. Like most aspects of ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory type of arthritis that affects nearly half a million people in the United States, according to the Arthritis Foundation, the prognosis is complicated and can be hard to predict.