Ankylosing Spondylosis

  1. Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis featuring chronic inflammation of the spine and the sacroiliac joints.Chronic inflammation in these areas causes pain and stiffness in and around the spine, including the neck, middle back, lower back, and buttocks.
  2. It affects males two to three times more commonly than females.
  3. Ankylosing spondylitis is a cause of back pain in adolescents and young adults.
  4. The tendency to develop ankylosing spondylitis is genetically inherited.
  5. The HLA-B27 gene can be detected in the blood of most patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
  6. Ankylosing spondylitis can also affect the eyes, heart, lungs and occasionally the kidneys.
  7. Ankylosis causes loss of mobility of the spine.

Symptoms

  1. Early morning stiffness
  2. Poor posture or stooped shoulders
  3. Loss of appetite
  4. Low-grade fever
  5. Weight loss
  6. Fatigue
  7. Anaemia or low iron
  8. Reduced lung function
  9. Inflammation of the bowels
  10. Mild eye inflammation
  11. Heart valve inflammation
  12. Achillies tendonitis

The areas most commonly affected are:

  1. The joint between the base of  spine and pelvis (sacroiliac)
  2. The vertebrae in  lower back
  3. The places where the tendons and ligaments attach to bones mainly in the  spine, but sometimes along the back of the heel.
  4. The cartilage between the breastbone and ribs
  5. Hip and shoulder joints