Rhuematoid (rheumatoid) arthritis - ankylosing spondylitis (spondilitis)

Ankylosing spondylitis is a systemic rheumatory (rheumatic) disease that can also affect other tissues throughout your body.

Rheumatory Arthritis (RA) affects roughly one per cent of the population and is the most common inflammatory form of arthritis. There are several different varieties of arthritus and one of the more common conditions is called ankylosing spondilitis (spondylitis).

Ankylosing spondylitis - a chronic inflammation

Ankylosing spondylitis can be described as a form of chronic inflammation affecting the spine and the sacroiliac joints which are found in the lower back around the iliac bones (bones on either side of the upper buttocks). A chronic inflammation here will cause pain as well as stiffness, both in and around the spinal area. Long term, this chronic inflammation can lead to a complete fusion (growing together) of the vertebrae, which condition is called called ankylosis.

Ankylosis will both affect and diminish the flexibility of the spine. Ankylosing spondylitis (spondilitis) can also be causing inflammation in, or injury to several other joints located away from the spine. But also to other organs can be affected, such as the heart, eyes, lungs or the kidneys. Ankylosing spondilities resembles other atrhritis (arthuritis) conditions such as psoriatic arthritus, reactive arthritis and the types of arthrities which are associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Spondyloarthropaties - a group of rheumatory conditions 

Each of the above can cause disease and inflammation in the spine, other joints, eyes, skin or mouth as well as in various other organs in the body. Since many of the symptoms here are very similar, the conditions are grouped under one name - spondyloarthropaties - which is a group of reumatoid (rheumatiod, rhematoid) arthrites conditions.