Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has a complex relationship with body weight. In some, it causes unintended weight loss and malnutrition. Others with AS may gain weight due to inactivity from the condition. Being diagnosed with clinical obesity or overweight can make AS worse.
In fact, the link between chronic inflammation and weight gain appears to be so strong that the two feed off of each other to make each condition worse—inflammation leads to weight gain and vice versa.
Some common GI symptoms you may experience related to ankylosing spondylitis include: Diarrhea. Bloating. Change in bowel habits.
“But an overall, healthy diet of simply prepared whole foods may positively impact inflammatory conditions like AS.” This same meal plan may also support weight loss, which can decrease stress and pain on joints affected by AS.
Inflammation Uncontrolled systemic (body-wide) inflammation is the factor that best predicts fatigue in AS. Cell messengers called cytokines that are part of the inflammatory process may cause the sensation of fatigue, and inflammation can also cause anemia (inadequate red blood cells), which also causes fatigue.
Lack of Exercise Worsens Stiffness
“A sedentary lifestyle will worsen the stiffness and decreased mobility and flexibility that accompany ankylosing spondylitis,” says Waseem Mir, MD, the founder of New York Integrative Rheumatology and a rheumatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
Early symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis might include back pain and stiffness in the lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Neck pain and fatigue also are common. Over time, symptoms might worsen, improve or stop at irregular intervals.
Osteoporosis and spinal fractures
In AS osteoporosis can develop in the spine and increase your risk of fracturing the bones in your backbone. The longer you have the condition, the more this risk increases. If you do develop osteoporosis, you'll usually need to take medicine to help strengthen your bones.
"B27 disease" is a new autoimmune disease that afflicts millions of people throughout the world. "B27 disease" occurs in individuals who have ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or preankylosing spondylitis and/or uveitis and are also positive for HLA-B27.
The most common symptoms are intermittent flare-ups of spinal pain and stiffness. However, the disease can also affect other joints, as well as the eyes and the intestines. In advanced AS, abnormal bone growth or calcification of the ligaments of the vertebral bodies of the spine may cause the joints to fuse.
Some people with AS are able to remain fully independent or minimally disabled in the long term. However, some people eventually become severely disabled as a result of the bones in their spine fusing in a fixed position and damage to other joints, such as the hips or knees.
Thyroid disorders
When your immune system messes with your thyroid, it can cause unexplained weight changes. Your thyroid helps control your metabolism, so if it's underactive (hypothyroidism), everything slows down. That's why common symptoms include weight gain, fatigue, constipation, hair loss, and depression.
Obesity, smoking, alcohol, chronic stress, and nutritional deficiencies are all found to contribute to chronic inflammation. Chronic stress increases the body's levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been linked to higher amounts of belly fat.
In some cases, ankylosing spondylitis can be debilitating and lead to disability, according to the SAA. Over time, the inflammation associated with ankylosing spondylitis can cause the vertebrae of the spine to fuse together. In severe cases, when this happens, the spine can curve and cause a stooped position.
At this time, no single test diagnoses ankylosing spondylitis. Your doctor may order a blood test to check for the HLA-B27 gene, which is present in most people with the disease. You may have the HLA-B27 gene and never develop ankylosing spondylitis, but it can give doctors more information when making a diagnosis.
Advanced Ankylosing Spondylitis
During advanced AS, your spinal motion becomes severely limited by fusing of the joints of your spine. Bony growth appears between the joints, limiting mobility and causing spinal pain.
Types of AS Flares
Generalized flares are more severe and may affect multiple parts of the body. In addition to the above symptoms, they also include flu-like illness (fever, sweating); hot, burning joints; muscle spasms; and more sensitivity.
Over time this can damage the spine and lead to the growth of new bone. In some cases this can cause parts of the spine to join up (fuse) and lose flexibility (ankylosis). It's not known exactly what causes AS, but in many cases there seems to be a link with a particular gene variant known as HLA-B27.
The Australian Federal Government announced recently that, from 1 December, 2020, the medication ixekizumab (Taltz®) will be available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for those active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) .