Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic long term inflammatory disease that mainly affects the joints of the spine, and may lead to aching and stiffness in the back. Other joints, tendons and ligaments are sometimes affected, as well as the eyes, lungs, bowel and heart. In ankylosing spondylitis, there is inflammation at the site where ligaments and tendons attach to the bone. As this inflammation dies down, new bone may form and when this happens, the bones may join together, which restricts movement of the joints and causes pain.

Symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis include a dull widespread ache deep in the buttock area, gradual onset of back pain and stiffness, and early morning stiffness and pain. This pain and stiffness can sometimes be improved by a warm shower or exercise. Symptoms often improve after exercise but worsen after rest due to the inflammatory nature of the disease.

Ankylosing spondylitis is two to three times more common in men than women. It usually affects young adults, with a peak age of onset between 20 and 30 years of age.

Ankylosing spondylitis is treated using non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors, a group of medicines known as biologicals.