Axial Spondyloarthritis
What is axial spondyloarthritis?
Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic, inflammatory rheumatic disease that affects the axial skeleton, causing severe pain, stiffness and fatigue. The disease typically starts in early adulthood, a critical period in terms of education and beginning a career path.
Many patients often experience other manifestations such as enthesitis (painful inflammation, often on the shins, behind/under the heels or near the ribs), peripheral arthritis, dactylitis (inflammation of the fingers or toes), uveitis (inflammation in the eye), psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease and osteoporosis.
Who is affected?
AxSpA is a disease affecting approximately 0.6% of the population, with about 300,000 Canadians living with the disease.
What are the symptoms of axSpA?
Pain and stiffness in the back, buttocks and hips are typically the first symptoms of axSpA.
Other symptoms include:
- Slow onset of back pain (stiffness that occurs over a period of weeks or months)
- Pain and stiffness in the mornings and after periods of inactivity
- Chronic back pain (lasting more than 3 months)
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Pain and swelling in other joints, such as the toes, rib cage, shoulders and knees
People living with axSpA also have a higher risk of developing other conditions, such as
- Uveitis (inflammation in the eye causing pain, watery and or red eyes)
- Enthesitis (painful inflammation, often on the shins, behind/under the heels or near the ribs)
- Peripheral arthritis
- Psoriasis
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Dactylitis (inflammation of the fingers or toes)
