Sometimes complications, including osteoporosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and heart disease can arise for people with axSpA.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Frequent Symptoms
AxSpA symptoms arecaused by autoimmune and inflammatory activityin the body.
For most people with axSpA, symptoms tend to be worse in the morning or after periods of rest.
Verywell / Laura Porter
The duration and severity of your symptoms may change over time as the condition progresses.
Most people arediagnosed with axial spondyloarthritisin their young adulthood.
Common symptoms of axial spondyloarthritis include:
1.
Pain is particularly intense in the mornings or after periods of inactivity.
It may begin to ease during the day with stretching and exercise.
Fatigue
Physical and mental exhaustion often go hand in hand with chronic pain.
AxSpA can disrupt your sleep, which can lead to feeling chronically fatigued.
Inflammation can cause this heel pain, known asplantar fasciitis.
As many as 17% of people with axSpA may experience heel pain.
Research suggests that anywhere between 35% and 90% of people with the condition experience issues with sleep.
Enthesitis
Enthesitisis inflammation of the part of the body where tendons and ligaments attach to bone.
Recurrence is possible if youve experienced one bout of eye inflammation.
Joint Pain
Stiff, achy, sore joints can occur due to inflammation and swelling throughout the body.
Many people have axSpA-related joint pain in the ankles, hips, and knees.
Stomach Pain and Diarrhea
Stomach pain and diarrhea are because of inflammation affecting the digestive tract.
Some people with axSpA experience diarrhea and stomach pain.
In rare cases, this may progress into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Rare Symptoms
Less common symptoms of axSpA can also be experienced in relation to the disease.
Rare symptoms of axial spondyloarthritis include:
9.
It sometimes develops in response to inflammation sparked by autoimmune conditions.
The severity of anemia increases as the bodys inflammatory response to axSpA increases.
Fever
Increased temperature (higher than 100.4 degrees) can cause chills,body aches, and fatigue.
With inflammatory conditions like axSpA, a fever may develop as the bodys response to chronic inflammation.
This is because inflammation-causing proteins, called cytokines, bind to receptors in the brain that trigger a fever.
Loss of Appetite
Chronic pain, fatigue, and other axSpA symptoms can cause a loss of appetite.
Complications
Complications can occur as a result of having axial spondyloarthritis.
Not everyone with axSpA will experience complications, but they are important to be aware of.
These symptoms often occur after periods of inactivity, like sleeping or resting.
A health provider can diagnose you and help you manage your symptoms.
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