Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a very rare type of arthritis. This disease will cause some small bones in your body to fuse (over time).This fusing will lessen the flexibility of the spine, and it could result in a posture that is hunched-forward. If your ribs get affected by ankylosing spondylitis, you might have difficulty breathing deeply.AS is an inflammatory type of arthritis.

Usually, ankylosing spondylitis will affect men more than women and the symptoms and signs will start appearing in early adulthood. If you want to know more about this condition and how to have it treated, you should check out the ankylosing spondylitis treatment in Brisbane from arthritisCARE or simply search for a local doctor.

Ankylosing spondylitis can cause a lot of issues

1. Morning stiffness

People who suffer from ankylosing spondylitis will experience stiffness in the morning. The stiffness is throughout the body, making it hard to get out of bed. If this happens, you need to start exercising first thing in the morning. Simply move around and loosen up a bit first, and then proceed to do the exercises in the middle of the day. This can help stop the progression of the disease.

2. Rib cage pain

As the ankylosing spondylitis starts progressing, the bones of the rib cage and spine could fuse together. This can lead to pain when you breathe. You should have deep breathing exercise, that will help maintain the expansion of the rib cage and thus prevent the fusion. If it does get worse, you need to visit a medical professional.

3. Pain in the middle of the night

If you have pain that wakes you up in the middle of the night, you need to visit a doctor. Lying around for too long will contribute to the pain and stiffness of ankylosing spondylitis. It is important that you have a firm mattress with a pillow that is either flat, or do not use a pillow at all.

4. Eye inflammation

About 40% of people who suffer from ankylosing spondylitis also have problems with their eyes. To prevent the loss of vision or other complications it is important that you visit your doctor on time. In addition, people with AS have an increased risk of having secondary osteoarthritis. You can learn more about that from the medication for osteoarthritis in Brisbane at arthritisCARE or talk to your doctor.

5. Chronic fatigue

Being tired all the time, can be a rather big issue in your daily life. If this becomes problematic, you should talk to your doctor. There are some medications for ankylosing spondylitis that could help with fatigue as well.

Make sure to openly talk to your doctor

Final word

Ankylosing Spondylitis is a rare type of arthritis, and the symptoms are very similar to rheumatoid arthritis. This is why it can be difficult to be diagnosed, and there is no cure. But, with a good treatment plan, you can have the pain and progression of the disease under control.