Facts about Advocacy

Quick Facts about Spondylitis

AS (ankylosing spondylitis) is arthritis of the spine that strikes young people. The typical age of onset is between 17 and 35.

Difficult to diagnose in the early stages, it is the most overlooked cause of persistent back pain in young adults.

AS can also damage other joints such as the hips and shoulders, as well as other areas of the body including the eyes, heart and lungs.

AS causes pain and spinal stiffness, and, in severe cases, the spine fuses solidly in a forward-stooped posture.

As one form of arthritis, it costs the U.S. economy billions of dollars in costs of care and productivity loss.