A - Z Encyclopedia
Understanding Ankylosing Spondylitis
The Basics | Symptoms | Treatment
Symptoms
What Are the Symptoms?
It's important to note that not everyone develops all of the following symptoms, but these are possibilities depending on the severity of the condition.
- Stiffness and pain in the lower back, buttocks, and hips upon waking in the morning or after a period of inactivity
- Back pain relieved by movement and exercise
- Difficulty bending the spine
- Pain in the hips and difficulty walking
- Pain in the heels and soles of the feet
- Bent-over posture
- Straightening of the normal curvature of the spine
- Fever
- Loss of appetite, weight loss
- Fatigue, decreased energy
- Eye swelling, redness, and pain
- Sensitivity to light
- Difficulty taking a deep breath (because expanding the chest is difficult and painful)
- Heart failure
- Heart block (problems with the flow of the electrical impulses that control your heart muscle)
- Bowel inflammation like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
Call Your Doctor If:
- You develop persistent lower-back pain.
- You notice that your back feels painful and stiff in the morning but improves with movement and exercise.
- You have any difficulty or pain drawing a deep breath.
- You have redness or swelling in an eye, or you are abnormally sensitive to light.
- You develop unexplained fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, or fatigue.
The Basics | Symptoms | Treatment
