Although people often think about the physical symptoms, living with AS can also lead to what is known as brain fog.
Inflammatory diseases like ankylosing spondylitis can result in damage to brain tissue. When this occurs, brain lesions can form. These abnormalities can be diagnosed through medical imaging (such as an MRI or CT scan).
Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that often causes pain in your back, hips, and other joints. It can also affect your brain and your ability to perform normal functions. These changes can cause brain fog, memory loss, or brain lesions.
On a cellular level, brain fog is believed to be caused by high levels inflammation and changes to hormones that determine your mood, energy and focus. The imbalanced levels of hormones make the whole system to be thrown off.
AS can cause a person to experience problems with memory, thinking, concentrating, and other cognitive dysfunctions that people typically refer to as brain fog. The exact reasons for brain fog are not clear, but experts believe that chronic inflammation, pain, and some treatment side effects can all contribute.
Even if ankylosing spondylitis isn't causing you much physical pain, it still may be affecting your emotional health. On any given day you might feel anger, frustration, or even grief. Or maybe multiple feelings at the same time. “People are a beehive of emotions,” says Kenneth J.
What is “lupus fog?” Cognitive dysfunction, or what many refer to as "brain fog" or "lupus fog," is often experienced by those who have lupus. The symptoms of lupus fog take many forms, and it affects everyone differently. It can be confusing and frustrating, but you are not alone in the experience.
Stress can be a contributor to inflammation as well, so taking steps to lower chronic stress can be important. Consider massage, acupuncture, and meditation. Schedule time for relaxation, and reduce the number of obligations you have. Exercise can help lower stress, and is a good way to combat brain fog, too.
While fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, rashes, and digestive issues are often associated with autoimmunity, these symptoms can be reduced with the help of diet and supplements.
Advanced cervical spondylosis can cause both neurological decline and severe pain, leading to significant disability and impairment of activities of daily living.
"Fatigue from inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis can feel like you have the flu. You can ache all over," says Rochelle Rosian, MD, the director of regional rheumatology at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “That's because inflammation affects your whole body, not just your joints.”
Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have a significantly higher prevalence of overall dementia and Alzheimer dementia compared with the general population, according to the results of a nationwide, population-based, retrospective, longitudinal cohort study published in PLoS One.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the axial spine that can manifest with various clinical signs and symptoms. Chronic back pain and progressive spinal stiffness are the most common features of the disease.
Ochronosis frequently involves the spine and can mimic ankylosing spondylitis radiographically and clinically but spares the sacroiliac joint.
People usually recover from brain fog. You may get similar symptoms after other infections, a minor head injury or during the menopause. Brain fog is also common if you have depression, anxiety or stress.
Most people with ME/CFS have trouble thinking quickly, remembering things, and paying attention to details. Patients often say they have “brain fog” to describe this problem because they feel “stuck in a fog” and not able to think clearly. Worsening of symptoms while standing or sitting upright.
As ankylosing spondylitis progresses, you may experience more pain and stiffness on both sides of your spine that extends up toward your mid back and neck. Stiffness and achy pain may limit your movement, and you may find it difficult to keep an upright posture due to pain and stiffness.
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.
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.