Ankylosing spondylitis

Description

Ankylosing spondylitis, also known as Bekhterev's disease, is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic axial skeletal disease. This refers to all bones in the longitudinal axis of the human body – i.e. cranial bones, laryngeal skeleton, rib cage and spine. What do you need to know about this disease?

Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of vertebral inflammation that causes stiffening and is a subform of axial spondyloarthritis. The inflammation typically affects the sacroiliac joint. This connects the triangular bone in the immobile part of the spine (sacrum) with the ilium, also known as the pelvic blade, via tight ligaments and is generally only slightly mobile. Other regions typically affected are the vertebrae, intervertebral discs and entheses. This results in back pain, which typically worsens at rest, stiffness of the limbs, especially in the morning, and general restrictions in movement.