Ankylosing Spondylitis Research

Progression
Generally, the symptoms of AS vary in their severity and occur intermittently throughout a person’s lifetime. Ankylosing Spondylitis is a systemic condition, meaning the inflammation and pain will start at the spine and eventually spread out and affect other joints such as the knees, hips, shoulder, heels and organs. Ultimately – and rarely – the inflammation will cause the spine to fuse together as a result from the healing after each flare up. This bony fusion makes the spine more prone to fracture and causes a loss of mobility. Without proper posture, the spine will stiffen in a forward stooping position.

On the other hand, with exercise, proper posture and medicinal or alternative treatments, the symptoms of AS can effectively be controlled. Just as symptoms vary from person to person, so does the course of the disease. The onset of AS may be extremely painful or barely noticeable. How the disease progresses depends on your involvement.

Symptoms
Although AS does not follow the same course in everyone, some symptoms are more prevalent than others. For example, according to the SAA, Iritis (inflammation of the eye) is extremely common while neurological problems are particularly rare. The initial symptoms of AS include stiffness and pain in the lower back and pelvic area – although inflammation in the shoulder joints can also occur early. Often times, pain and stiffness associated with inflammation occur in the morning or during a long phase of inactivity. The following list includes the range of different symptoms commonly associated with AS. Symptoms are arranged in the general order of occurrence during AS progression.

• Sacroiliitis: Inflammation of the sacroiliac joints – where the spine meets the pelvis (SI).
  
  
• Enthesitis: Inflammation of the enthesis (where the joint capsules, ligaments and tendons attach to the bone). This includes swelling and tenderness along joints like the back, pelvis, chest and heel.
• Inflammation of the heel can have a serious impact on person’s mobility. Inflammatory spots include the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia.

• Spinal Conditions: The repair process following inflammation leads to scarring of the tissue and extra bone formation along the spine. During severe stages of AS, incessant healing and inflammation can cause fusion of the spine and sometimes other joints as the disease progresses. This leads to an increased possibility of spinal fractures since the spine has little flexibility, and bone formed during the fusion is weak. It also causes great discomfort to the person since he or she may be forced into a stooped position – which is thankfully far less common now with treatment advances and information on posture.

• Hip and Shoulder Conditions: One-third of the AS population experiences hip and shoulder problems. Hip strain comes on gradually and is often felt in the groin area, but can also be mistakenly felt in the knees or thighs – otherwise known as “referred pain”. This is sometimes misleading during an examination of inflamed areas. Hip discomfort is more common in younger people while shoulder involvement is mild.

• Neck Pain: The cervical section of the spine is the most mobile area on the back and stiffness in this area can greatly affect a person’s mobility such as turning the head and looking up and down.

• Knee Pain: Although knee pain and stiffness is usually associated with pain in other areas of the body like the hips, about 20 percent of people experience inflammation in the knee capsule as a separate symptom.

• Jaw Pain: Approximately ten percent of people have inflammation of the jaw – making it hard to fully open their mouth when chewing.

• Chest Pain: Chest pain can imitate cardiac angina – pain caused by deep breathing when the outer lining of the lungs is inflamed. Over time the joints between the ribs and spine, and where the ribs meet the breastbone, develop decreased chest expansion due to scarring of the tissue from inflammation.

• Iritis (Inflammation of the eye): Thirty to forty percent of people experience iritis. Symptoms can occur in each eye at different times and include redness, pain, sensitivity to light and blurred vision. See a doctor immediately if you think you have irits.

• Heart Conditions: Sometimes a rare chronic inflammation at the base of the heart around the aortic valve will occur. Long-term inflammation at these sites can lead to heart blockage and valve leakage. This problem is seen in fewer than two percent of people with AS and is detectable.

• Lung Conditions: Due to chest pain and poor chest wall movement comes the possibility of fibrosis scarring at the top of the lungs. This condition can make it longer for colds and respiratory infections to heal. Smoking is out of the question.

• Kidney Conditions: Kidney problems are caused by long-term treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. This condition is extremely rare in the U.S.

• Neurological Complications: Very rarely, advanced AS patients experience problems from the scarring of nerves at the base of the spine. This can cause urinary retention, loss of bowel control, sexual dysfunction and pain or weakness in the legs. It is necessary to see a neurologist at this point.

Causes

Cures