MEDICAL INSIDER
DR CORA LIM
JULY 2, 2023
Ankylosing Spondylitis
(Part 1)
What is Ankylosing spondylitis (AS)? This is
a type of arthritis that mainly affects the
back. It’s one of a group of inflammatory
conditions, referred to as spondyloarthritis.
Spondylitis simply means inflammation of the
spine. As part of the body’s reaction
to inflammation, calcinosis occurs in
ligaments that are attached to the vertebrae.
This causes bone to grow from the sides of
the vertebrae. Eventually the individual
bones of the spine may fuse
and loose flexibility. This is called ankylosis
It often starts in a person’s late teens or 20s.
The related conditions include the following:
- Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis
- Undifferentiated spondyloarthritis (uSpA)
- Psoriaticarthritis
- Enteropathic arthritis
- Reactive arthritis
- Enthesitis-related arthritis
What are the Symptoms for this ailment?
Reach out for a Rheumatologist if you have
any of these symptoms:
- Stiffness and pain in your lower back in the
early morning that eases through the day or
with activity - Pain in the joints in the buttock where the
base of your spine meets your pelvis which
makes sitting uncomfortable - In other cases, there is pain, stiffness and
swelling in their knees or ankles - Inflammation can occur at any point where
tendons are attached to the bone
(enthesitis), for example at the elbow and
heel. It causes tenderness
Other possible symptoms include:
- Pain and swelling in a finger or toe dactylitis
- Chest pain
- Inflammation of the eye (uveitis or iritis)
- Tiredness (fatigue)
Contagious or not? Ankylosing
Spondylitis Isn’t Contagious. Most people
with ankylosing spondylitis have a gene
called HLA-B27, which can be detected by a
blood test.
However, this gene doesn’t mean you’ll
definitely get ankylosing spondylitis. It is
estimated that only 1 in 15 people with the
gene will actually develop this condition. (To
be continued)