Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine, eventually leading some vertebrae to fuse together.
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Ankylosing spondylitis is a long-term condition that primarily targets the joints of your spine and the sacroiliac joints, which are the points where your spine meets your pelvis.
Normally, your spine is flexible, allowing you to bend and twist. In this condition, your immune system mistakenly attacks these joints, causing chronic inflammation, which is redness and swelling. Over time, the body tries to heal this by growing new bone, which can cause the bones in your spine to fuse, or grow together, making the back stiff and less flexible.
Common Symptoms
- Pain and stiffness in the lower back and buttocks that is worse in the morning or after long periods of inactivity.
- Feeling better after exercise or movement.
- Pain or swelling in larger joints like the hips, knees, or shoulders.
- Pain at the back of the heel where the Achilles tendon attaches to the bone.
- Fatigue, or a feeling of deep, persistent tiredness.
- A stooped or hunched-over posture that happens if the spine begins to fuse in a curved position.