WHAT IS ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS?
Ankylosing Spondylitis (A.S) is a form of Inflammatory Arthritis that mainly affects the spine but can also affect other joints, tendons and ligaments. Ankylosing means fusing together and Spondylitis means inflammation of the spine. A.S is an auto-immune disease, which means that rather than the immune system only attacking things in the body that are dangerous to it, such as bacteria, it also attacks healthy tissue. In A.S this usually occurs at the site where certain ligaments or tendons attach to the bone and joints of the spine. Inflammation commonly occurs at the site where the immune system is attacking and this causes pain, swelling and stiffness. The inflammation causes some damage to the bone and as the inflammation subsides a healing process takes place and new bone is developed. This process restricts movement when the new bone growth replaces the elastic tissue of ligaments and tendons. The continous repeating of the inflammatory process leads to further bone formation, which eventually causes the individual bones of the spine to fuse together. The pelvis is commonly affected first and then the lower back, chest wall and neck may also become involved. Entire fusing of the spine is unusual, most people only suffer partial fusing.
WHAT CAUSES ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS?
It is still not completely understood why people develop A.S, but so far research has shown that 96% of people with A.S in Britain share the same genetic cell marker called the Human Leucocyte Antigen B27. What exactly happens to this cell marker that triggers the disease is still not certain.
HOW WILL MY ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS AFFECT ME?
Men are three times more likely to develop A.S than women and it tends to affect them slightly differently. The pelvis and spine are most commonly affected in men as well as the chest wall, shoulders hips and feet. In women they generally have less severe involvement of their spines than in men. The pelvis, hips, knees, wrists and ankles are most commonly affected in women. The disease is different for each person though and because of this treament is tailored to the individuals needs.
Although there is no cure for A.S the research into new medications and a better understanding of the disease is continously developing, thus improving the future of A.S sufferers.
Although there is no cure for A.S the research into new medications and a better understanding of the disease is continously developing, thus improving the future of A.S sufferers.