Ankylosing Spondylitis (Bechterew's Disease): Symptoms & Signs

Ankylosing spondylitis is an arthritis condition in which there is inflammation of the spine. It can also affect tissues throughout the body and result in inflammation and damage to other joints and also to other organs, including the eyes, heart, lungs, and kidneys. Medical researchers believe ankylosing spondylitis is a genetic (inherited) condition.

Symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis are stiffness and pain in the low back and hips, middle back, and buttocks. Neck pain may also be present. Other associated signs and symptoms can include fatigue, eye inflammation, loss of mobility of the spine over time, inflammation of the lungs leading to shortness of breath, and pain in swelling in other joints outside of the spine. In advanced stages, ankylosing spondylitis can cause deposition of amyloid protein in the kidneys, causing kidney failure.

Other ankylosing spondylitis symptoms and signs

• Bony Fusion of the Spine
• Buttock Pain
• Complete Loss of Spine Mobility
• Coughing
• Enthesitis
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Hunched Back
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Iritis
• Loss of Appetite
• Loss of Range of Motion
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Sausage-Shaped Toe Joints
• Shortness of Breath
• Stiffness and Pain in the Spine, Neck, Low Back, and Upper Buttocks
• Tendinitis
• Uveitis

Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.

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