Kickas.org
First post on this forum for me. I have had mild symptoms since being diagnosed with AS in the past 5 years. I kept being active (walking, stretching, swimming, etc) and only used NSAIDs occasionally for mild flare-ups (hip/back pain and hip enthesitis).

Recently I went on a strenuous mountain hike that triggered a major AS flare-up along with muscle overuse injury. I wasn't able to walk for over a month and I had moving inflammation around my body.

Initially my right hip/buttock muscles were severely inflammed and I took NSAIDs everyday (for 2 months). I was unable to bear weight on my right leg due to pain/weakness. After a few sports physiotherapy treatment (manual manipulation/dry needling accupunture), my right side got better. However the very next day my left hip/buttock became inflammed and I couldn't bear weight on my left leg. I continued physiotherapy and was able to walk after a month or so, though my gait was abnormal and pace was slow. It's been almost 3 months since then and I can walk normally now.

What troubles me now is moving inflammation around my body... After my left leg got better, I felt inflammation/muscle ache in my lower back (lasted 1-2 weeks), then it went to middle and upper back. In the past 2 weeks, I had inflammation of my upper back/shoulders, worse at night making sleeping and turning very uncomfortable. I kept using NSAIDs but it does not seem to help with the back/shoulder symptoms. My rheumatologist told me to stop NSAIDs (which I have done) and said this is not related to AS...? This seems odd as I suspected I was having back enthesitis.

The inflammation has now moved to my right shoulder, clavicle, and sternum. I could see swollen lymph nodes along my right clavicle ( left clavicle is normal), and I have trouble raising my right arm up.

This is the first major flare-up that I have had since my diagnosis and it is quite puzzling. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar or a moving inflammation during flare-ups?

Thanks in advance!
Hello there and welcome to Kickas Sapphire,

By chance were you born in September?

My AS pain was first in my left hip, later in low back and then right hip (constant daily pain), but that was over months/years when I was dealing with AS.

The pain you describe, is it from overdoing physical activity? I can confirm that at times I overdue physical activity when feeling very good and can pay the consequences afterwards... typically in 1-2 areas. It may be AS inflammation or also muscle pain and I need to take some NSAIDs to knock down the pain.

I keep up daily stretching that really helps me to avoid muscle related pain from overdoing it and remain as flexible as possible.

Best to you finding answers.

Tim
© Kickas.org