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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Initial symptoms
Early signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis may include:
- Chronic pain in your lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after periods of inactivity
- Stiffness in your lower back or hip area
As your condition progresses
Your condition may change over time, with symptoms getting worse, improving or completely stopping at any point. Over time the pain and stiffness, which usually begin gradually, may progress up your spine and to other joints. You may experience inflammation and pain in these other parts of your body:
- Where your tendons and ligaments attach to bones
- Joints between your ribs and spine
- Joints in your hips, shoulders, knees and feet
- Your eyes
Symptoms of advanced stages
In advanced stages, the following signs and symptoms may develop:
- Restricted expansion of your chest
- Chronic stooping
- Stiff, inflexible spine
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Eye inflammation (uveitis)
- Bowel inflammation
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you have symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. Also contact your doctor if you're being treated for the disease and new signs and symptoms develop, particularly eye pain, light sensitivity or blurred vision.
- Yu DT, Patient information: Ankylosing spondylitis, http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 10, 2008.
- Mercier LR, Ankylosing spondylitis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/109354214-4/0/1701/48.html?printing=true. Accessed Nov. 5, 2008.
- Ankylosing spondylitis. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=ankylosingspondylitis. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
- Taurog JD. The Spondyloarthritides: Anklyosing Spondylitis. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2862756&searchStr=ankylosing+spondylitis. Accessed Jan. 9, 2009.
- Song IH. Benefits and risks of ankylosing spondylitis treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Arthritis and Rheumatism. 2008;58(4):929-938.
- Yu DT. Treatment and prognosis of ankylosing spondylitis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 10, 2008.
