Hi everyone.I often hear from other web sites and even my rheumatologist has said it....Ankylosing Spondylitis is a arthritic condition of the spine that will eventually burn itself out.I was wondering what truth there is to this....if any!And if it is true does that mean there will be no more pain?

John

what he means dear Fonzy is that when a spine is fully fused the pain will stop....so they say

hope you are well bro

John

Hi John,

I have had A/S for 27 years, and I would say the back pain is much less. I have more joint pain in my feet right now, but it will settle. I am not taking biologics at this stage, I would have taken them when I was in my twenties when I had severe back pain, and swollen joints. How long have you had A/S ?


Janet

As far as i can recall i have probably have had it for about 15 yrs,,,especially the back and neck pain.I am fused in the neck and lower back,so i am hoping this all might be true.
Doing good Big John..hear it is cold your way...Brrrr

Hi Fonzy,

I am not totally fused at all. I do think women get off easier with this when it comes to the spine fusing . They say that estrogen really helps women. Now that I am in menopause, I may fuse more.


Janet

it's May now John and i still have the bloody central heating on!

fancy a house swap?....there's some lovely views in Scotland...:)

Hello John,

Yes that is an "old school" of thought for the reason others explained. I believe there is some truth to this for couple of reasons.

1 - My father did better after his neck/back fused. Fortunately he fused upright... so he did better later in life with his AS. Still had some pain and stiffness.. but not like in his earlier years.

Of course all the fusing could lead to a lot of mechanical issues and pain later.. especially if did not fuse upright.

2 - My left hip was one of my worst sypmtoms early on.. but has fused and now no longer bothers me. If anything, my right hip flares now and again that is not entirely fused.

Best to you,

Tim

I know that my rheumatologist told me that about the RA. He said when the damage is done that the pain usually lessens. I have found that to be true in my right hand.

My back still really hurts from the top of my neck to the bottom of my spine. I have developed 2 curvatures and have 8 bulging discs along with all of the other big words that they use that to me just means I hurt.

I got a rhizotomy in December and am scheduled for another one in June. The last rhizotomy before that lasted about 1 1/2 years. This one hasn't done as well.

The spine dr. told me that the worsening of the spine isn't necessarily a bad thing as you age. He said the discs lose fluid and the bulging isn't as bad. I am fusing but not completely fused. I am not a Spring Chicken and I got this diagnosis 40+ years ago.

Blessings.
Possi

I think my doctor told me that it does in some people but not others. It is individual in nature.

Hope this helps!

Craig

John - Being curious, I had to go check it out! Came up with the following hits, but, have not opened the links, so can't vouchsafe for them, but headers seem relevant?

Flare ups and burn out - National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society
www.nass.co.uk/about-as/just-diagnosed/flare-ups-and-burn-out/
23 May 2011 ... Over years of talking to people with AS, NASS find that many people with AS have times when their symptoms seem to worsen or flare up.
Flare ups and burn out - National Ankylosing ...
www.nass.co.uk/about-as/just-diagnosed/flare-ups-and-burn-out/?showc...
23 May 2011 ... Comments submitted for this page. Add a new comment. Stephen Dent (24th February 2012). I have had AS for 53 years but diagnosed 43 ...
[ More results from www.nass.co.uk ]
[PDF]
The Outcome of Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Study of ...
rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/content/36/7/766.full.pdf
K : Ankylosing spondylitis, Outcome, Employment. ... seen by the out- patient clinic during the period ..... Thus, AS does not seem to 'burn out' [43], but ...
The natural history of ankylosing spondylitis. Does it burn out?
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8496866 - Similarto The natural history of ankylosing spondylitis. Does it burn out?
The natural history of ankylosing spondylitis. Does it burn out? Kennedy LG, Edmunds L, Calin A. Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath, UK.
Ankylosing spondylitis: recent breakthroughs in ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077878/ - Similarto Ankylosing spondylitis: recent breakthroughs in ...
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is generally easy to diagnose when the .... Contrary to previous beliefs, the condition doesn't 'burn out' over time, but instead ...

My search criteria was ankylosing spondylitis and burn out - evidence?