What is Axial SpA?

What is Axial Spondyloarthritis ?

Axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA) is an inflammatory arthritis where the main symptom is back pain

Typical symptoms of axial SpA include:

Slow or gradual onset of back pain and stiffness over weeks or months, rather than hours or day, early-morning stiffness and pain, wearing off or reducing during the day with exercise, Persistence for more than 3 months (as opposed to coming on in short attacks). Feeling better after exercise and worse after rest. Weight loss, especially in the early stages. Fatigue or tiredness. Feeling feverish and experiencing night sweats.

What happens?

It’s a painful, progressive form of inflammatory arthritis. It mainly affects the spine but can also affect other joints, tendons and ligaments. Other areas such as the eyes and bowel can also sometimes be involved. Inflammation occurs at the site where ligaments or tendons attach to the bone. This is known as enthesis. The inflammation is followed by some wearing away of the bone at the site of the attachment. This is known as enthesopathy. As the inflammation reduces, healing takes place and new bone develops. Movement becomes restricted when bone replaces the elastic tissue of ligaments or tendons. Repetition of this inflammatory process leads to further bone formation and the individual bones which make up your backbone (vertebrae) can fuse together.