Ankylosing Spondylitis
This is the form of arthritis in which joints in the back became inflamed and stiffen up. Spondylitis means inflammation of spine and ankylosing mean stiffening or fixation of joints. This disease affects young and adult both. This disease tends to run through generations.
Symptoms
Ankylosing spondylitis starts at the bottom of the back and travels up the spine within few years. In few patients,other joints such as hips, knees, shoulders etc. are also affected.
Pain at the base of spine and buttocks some times travels down the legs. Pain is associated with spinal stiffness. Gradually backbone stiffens so that bending and stretching is difficult. In some cases neck is affected and in more severe cases hips get stiff and painful. Severity of the disease varies from person to person. In 25% of cases main complication is eye inflammation.
There is mild inflammatory reaction at the edges of joints where tendons and ligaments are attached to the joint. This reaction tends to form scar tissue, which turns into bone. This causes stiffness of the spine. With time bone may bridge the gap between two vertebrae leading to complete rigidity of a portion of the backbone.
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