Ankylosing Spondylitis Explained
Ankylosing Spondylitis is a fairly common and pervasive form of
arthritis. Studies indicate that it affects between two and
three million Americans. To put this figure into perspective,
such a number means that as many as one in one hundred people
have the disease. More figure on ankylosing spondylitis are
available at http://www.ankylosinginfo.com.
Ankylosing spondylitis has a much higher rate of incidence in
men than in women, with men developing AS up to three times more
often than women. The disease can occur at any age although
unlike many forms of arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis is more
likely to affect people under the age of forty. The disease
usually appears in people between the ages of fifteen and thirty
and onset after the age of forty, while not impossible, would be
uncommon.
The warning signs of ankylosing spondylitis are:
- Chronic back pain - Back pain which occurs during the night -
Lasting back pain in the mornings or after periods of rest -
Pain and tenderness in the heels, shins, thighs, hips, shoulder
blades and ribs - Recurring inflammation in the eyes, also known
as iritis - Blurred vision and sensitivity to bright light. (For
more on AS symptoms visit http://www.astreatment.com.)
Although the aforementioned are all symptoms of ankylosing
spondylitis, the primary symptom that most sufferers seek
treatment for is chronic lower back pain. The pain that most
sufferers describe is one that takes as long as two or three
hours to overcome. Mostly the pain is dull and diffused through
the lower back or base of the spine and even into one or both
sides of the buttock region. In selected cases the pain may even
appear to originate in the hips or knees, which can be confusing
when trying to diagnose the disease as such symptoms tend to
indicate other forms of arthritis such as osteoarthritis.
The pain and discomfort that accompanies ankylosing spondylitis
is due to inflammation in the joints of the sufferer. Put
simply, when inflammation is present there is discomfort in the
area. Prior to seeking a formal diagnosis and professional
medial advice, people with ankylosing spondylitis will sometimes
manipulate their body position to reduce discomfort. To get more
information on AS visit http://www.spondylitisinfo.com. By doing
so the disease can be exacerbated and stiffness and bad posture
can result. Although there are twenty four vertebrae in the
human spine, a reduction of any two or more individual vertebrae
can reduce range and movement of the body significantly.
The secret to dealing with ankylosing spondylitis lies in the
early diagnosis of the disease, which relies on knowing the
early warning signs and seeking appropriate medical advice as
early as possible.