Arthritis of the spine is known by the medical term ankylosing spondylitis. Like all forms of arthritis, it's characterized by inflammation in your joints. There is no cure for the disease, which can cause deformities. There are treatments to prevent this and to ease the pain. Ankylosing spondylitis causes different symptoms at different stages.
Inflammation
Inflammation occurs as a main symptom of ankylosing spondylitis. It first affects the joints in your spine. It also can affect other joints in your body, as well as your eyes and bowels, in the advanced phase of the disease. Inflammation is the cause of many of the other symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis.
Pain
Pain is the primary problem associated with ankylosing spondylitis and is a common symptom that can tell you there is a condition in your spine. When the disease starts, you typically get pain in your hips and lower back. The Mayo Clinic says this happens more frequently when you have not been active for a while, such as when you rise from bed in the morning. When ankylosing spondylitis worsens, the pain can spread to other areas of your body. It can affect you in places you may not think of as being associated with problems in your spine, such as in your eyes. More obvious pain of spinal arthritis in later stages can occur in the joints in your feet, shoulders, knees and hips. It also can begin in the joints that connect your spinal column and ribs. You also may feel pain in ligaments and tendons.
Stiffness
Stiffness is an early and late symptom of ankylosing spondylitis. As an early symptom, it generally occurs in your hips and lower back, the same areas in which you probably experience pain. When you reach the advanced phase of arthritis of the spine, the stiffness may occur in other areas. It may affect your entire spine, making it difficult to move normally.
Other Symptoms
When ankylosing spondylitis has progressed far, other symptoms may occur in your body. The amount your chest normally expands when breathing may be restricted. Deformities in your spinal column may make you stoop. You may feel fatigued much of the time. Your digestive system may be affected, too, causing an appetite loss and the associated loss of weight.
