Ankylosing spondylitis
What is it?
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints of the pelvis causing chronic back pain and eventually fusion of the spine in some cases.
Symptoms
- Back pain and stiffness
- Pain in hips, knee or ankles
- Decreased range of motion of the spine
- Fatigue
- Redness and pain in the eye due inflammatory eye disease
Risk factors
- Family history of ankylosing spondylitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Uveitis
- Psoriasis
Diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis
- Complete medical history and physical exam
- Imaging (X-ray or MRI)
- Blood test for the HLA B-27 gene
- Please note: Not everyone with a positive HLA B-27 gene will develop ankylosing spondylitis.
- Please note: Not everyone with a positive HLA B-27 gene will develop ankylosing spondylitis.
Treating ankylosing spondylitis
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)
- Biologic medications: Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNF-i) and Interleukin-17 (IL-17) inhibitors
- Physical therapy and exercise programs