Ankylosing Spondylitis

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints. While there are over 100 different types of arthritis, the two most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms include joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Autoimmune diseases occur when a person's immune system erroneously attacks their own cells and tissues, thinking they are diseased. There are over 100 different autoimmune diseases, and while some target one organ in your body (for example, the thyroid gland in Hashimoto's thyroiditis), others target multiple organs (for example, the skin, kidneys, and more in lupus).

This phenomenon may occur in ankylosing spondylitis and describes the "fusing" or growing together of the "vertebrae," which are the bones in your spine. The fusion is caused by the calcification (build-up of calcium deposits) of the ligaments and discs between each vertebra. It results in pain, stiffness, and a loss of spine flexibility.

This term encompasses a wide array of health conditions that are all characterized by inflammation, which is the immune system’s normal response to harmful substances, germs, or trauma. Chronic inflammatory diseases, such as ankylosing spondylitis, are usually the result of a person's immune system misguidedly attacking their own tissues.

Spondyloarthropathy (also called spondyloarthritis) encompasses six rheumatic diseases that cause inflammatory arthritis. The inflammation occurs at the sites where ligaments and tendons attach to bones, leading to symptoms of pain and stiffness.3 The most common spondyloarthropathy is ankylosing spondylitis, which predominantly affects the spine.

Uveitis is inflammation or swelling of the eye's uvea, which is located in the middle part of the eye and is responsible for supplying blood to the retina. Uveitis is an uncommon condition that may be caused by an autoimmune disease or an infection. Symptoms include eye pain and redness, light sensitivity, and blurry vision.