Stiffness in the waist is it Ankylosing Spondylitis?- People often ignore the severe stiffness in the back while waking up in the morning and the pain after sitting for a long time, considering it as normal fatigue. Health experts have warned that this could be an early sign of Ankylosing Spondylitis. The most worrying aspect of this autoimmune disease in India is the delay of 5 to 7 years in its diagnosis, which can cause the patient’s spinal cord to fuse permanently.

Is back stiffness ankylosing spondylitis? Delay in diagnosis is becoming a big challenge in India

What is Ankylosing Spondylitis and why is it dangerous?

Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and sacroiliac joints (SI Joints). Due to prolonged swelling in it, the vertebrae of the spine start joining together, which is called ‘bamboo spine’ in medical language. This condition completely destroys a person’s flexibility and can force him to walk bent over.

3 main reasons for delay in diagnosis

According to data from leading hospitals in India, three reasons are mainly responsible for the delay in detection of this disease:

• Lack of awareness: Most patients consider it to be a disc problem or normal ‘back pain’ and keep taking painkillers.
• Choosing the wrong specialist: People often go to general physicians for back pain, whereas a rheumatologist is required for accurate treatment of this disease.
• Not caught in early tests: In the early stages of the disease, it is not visible on ordinary X-rays. This requires MRI and HLA-B27 blood test, which are not easily available in small towns.

expert opinion

Important advice for citizens: When to be cautious?

If you or someone in your family is experiencing the following symptoms, do not ignore it:

1. Stiffness in the waist and hips for more than 30 minutes after waking up in the morning.

2. Waking up in the middle of the night due to back pain.

3. Pain spreading to the neck, ribs or heel.

4. Feeling relief in pain after exercising.

With timely detection, the disease can be stopped from progressing through biologics and physiotherapy and the patient can live a normal life.