Spondyloarthritis
Spondyloarthritis is a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the spine, the sacroiliac joints (where the spine meets the pelvis) and the sites where tendons and ligaments attach to bone. Ankylosing spondylitis is the best-known form. It usually begins before the age of 45.
Common symptoms
- Low back pain that improves with exercise and worsens with rest
- Pain that wakes you in the second half of the night
- Stiffness of the back on waking
- Buttock pain that alternates from one side to the other
- Pain in the heel or the sole of the foot
- Sometimes associated with psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease or eye inflammation
How it is diagnosed
Diagnosis is based on the clinical history, physical examination, tests such as HLA-B27 and C-reactive protein, and imaging: MRI of the sacroiliac joints and X-rays.
Treatment
Exercise and physiotherapy are the foundation of treatment. Anti-inflammatory drugs control symptoms in many patients. When they are not enough, biologic therapies (anti-TNF or anti-IL-17) or JAK inhibitors are used.
What you can do
- Do daily stretching, posture and breathing exercises
- Do not smoke: it accelerates spinal damage
- Sleep on a firm mattress and mind your posture at work
- Attend your follow-up visits even when you feel well
Seek care immediately if you have
- A red, painful eye with blurred vision or sensitivity to light: seek care the same day
- Fever or infection while on biologic therapy
- Severe back pain after a fall
Frequently asked questions
What is spondyloarthritis?
Spondyloarthritis is a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the spine, the sacroiliac joints (where the spine meets the pelvis) and the sites where tendons and ligaments attach to bone. Ankylosing spondylitis is the best-known form. It usually begins before the age of 45.
How is spondyloarthritis diagnosed?
Diagnosis is based on the clinical history, physical examination, tests such as HLA-B27 and C-reactive protein, and imaging: MRI of the sacroiliac joints and X-rays.
How is spondyloarthritis treated?
Exercise and physiotherapy are the foundation of treatment. Anti-inflammatory drugs control symptoms in many patients. When they are not enough, biologic therapies (anti-TNF or anti-IL-17) or JAK inhibitors are used.
General information reviewed by Dr. Paul Alejandro Méndez Patarroyo, internist and rheumatologist, Colombian Medical Licence 79554568. It does not replace a medical consultation.