What is Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)?
A painful and progressive disease of the spine. It can affect other parts of the body especially the hips, joints and eyes.

Who gets AS?
Young people mostly, as the condition has an early age of onset, averaging 24 years. A survey carried out by this society has shown that it may take 5 years and more before the correct diagnosis, and treatment is established.

What causes AS?
The causes are unknown and there is no cure as yet. It is now known that over 90% of people who suffer from the disease have inherited the white cell antigen HLA B27. The search is now on for the trigger factor of factors involved.

What is the treatment for AS?
Modern treatment is prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the pain. Once the pain is relieved the patient must maintain mobility and posture of the spine by carrying out a daily programme of specifically designed exercises.

How many people suffer from AS?
It is thought that in the UK alone there are over three quarters of a million sufferers but most of those are mild cases who might never receive a diagnosis. However, is is estimated that there are between 50,000 - 60,000 sufferers with the disease in a sufficiently severe enough stage to have been correctly diagnosed.