What About That Ankylosing Spondylitis Diagnosis?Now that you have a diagnosis of AS, you probably have a number of questions. You most likely know that ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine. You may be aware that ankylosing means fusing, and spondylitis means inflammation of vertebrae. You have likely been told that the disease involves inflammation occuring where ligaments or tendons attach to bone, eroding some of the bone, and that when the inflammation subsides, new bone develops. Since the new bone is replacing tendons or ligaments, stiffness ensues, and if the condition persists, the vertebrae can fuse together. Taken to the extreme, the entire back can fuse solid, which is why the condition was called 'bamboo spine' at one time. But you probably still have a lot of questions. We'll attempt to answer some of the most common ones below. What is the Usual Age of Onset of Ankylosing Spondylitis? AS can strike at any age, and has affected individuals in all age groups, including children. In that case it's referred to as juvenile ankylosing spondylitis. Most commonly, though, the onset of symptoms occurs in younger people in their twenties and thirties, with the average age being twenty-six. However, the disease is frequently not diagnosed until much later, as the condition normally progresses very slowly and can be easily misdiagnosed. The disease does tend to run in families, as it appears to be related to the presence of a particular gene called HLA-B27. The gene is not the cause of ankylosing spondylitis, as less than one percent of the people with the gene have AS, but it does appear to predispose one to the disease, being that around ninety percent of indivuduals with AS also have HLA-B27. Is it OK to Pop My Back if I Have Ankylosing Spondylitis? Unfortunately, there's no way to give a blanket answer to that question. A popping noise could be caused by a number of different things. It could be the release of a gas bubble trapped between the joints. It could be the facet joints moving. It could be the ligaments stretching, and if they stretch too far, they may tear. Or it could be small fractures occuring - something you definitely want to avoid if possible. So you really need to talk this over with your doctor and/or physical therapist to try and figure out the exact source of the popping, and whether it's benign or harmful. Can I Experience Heart Problems Because of Ankylosing Spondylitis? It is uncommon, but there is a possibility that a person with a long-established case of AS, particularly those who have the disease in the non-spinal joints, hands and feet, could experience heart valve problems such as aortitis, which is inflammation of the aorta, the body's largest artery, or aortic valve regurgitation, which happens when the aortic valve and aortic ring become distorted. These complications are unusual, occuring in approximately one percent of cases, but do happen, so your doctor may want to listen to your heart occasionally. Ankylosing Spondylitis Privacy Policy Contact Us Legal Information |