Do I have ankylosing spondylitis (AS)?
AS is a form of inflammatory arthritis. The information on Inflammatory back pain helps you to identify whether your back pain is inflammatory (related to inflammation in the body) or mechanical (related to the way the muscles, ligaments and bones work together).
There are a number of different types of inflammatory back pain. Symptoms of AS gives the typical symptoms you might expect if you do have AS.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is sometimes difficult to diagnose. It cannot be diagnosed through just one test. To get a diagnosis of AS the results of a number of different tests, examinations and symptoms need to be put together, rather like a jigsaw, by a specialist in the area (rheumatologist).
To find out more about the difficulties of diagnosing AS click here to listen to podcasts from a patient and from Dr Andrew Keat, consultant rheumatologist.
Next steps explains what you should do if you suspect you have either inflammatory back pain generally or AS specifically.
If you have further questions which are not answered on these pages please click on Ask NASS to submit your query to the NASS Information Officer. We will aim to get back to you within 5 working days. If you are not based in the UK please click here to see if there is a similar AS organisation in your own country.