When Back Pain Isn’t Just Back Pain: How to Treat Ankylosing Spondylitis

While we’ve learned to recognize pain as the body ringing alarm bells, it’s become easy to ignore and even normalize it as something that eventually subsides. But when that pain brings stiffness and interrupted sleep into your routine, as is the case with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), it’s time to investigate further before it becomes too serious to normalize and mobility is further limited.      AS, also known as Bechterew’s disease, is an incurable arthritic inflammation of the spine’s joints and ligaments. More severe cases result in gradual fusing of the spine, particularly in the lower back, and difficulty breathing if the ribs also become affected.  Symptoms of AS typically begin in early adulthood and are more commonly found in young men with sedentary lifestyles who spend extended periods sitting. Though the spine is home to the majority of AS inflammation points, this painful inflammation can also spread to the eyes in a condition called iritis. Other affected areas to be aware of are the hip and shoulder joints, the back of the heel, and any part of the body where ligaments attach to bones. Extended periods of inactivity, and even sleeping, can exacerbate AS symptoms, causing mobility to become limited. If...