what is Ankylosing Spondylitis

[Nortbach]

hi,  i  have rheumitoid arthritis (R.A.)   can i also have ankylosing spondylitis?  
i have neck pain and shoulder pain... could this be both?  or one or the other ? and which one? and how do u know which one it is?  keeps me awake at night... makes me want to twish my left arm around so it is point south when i am facing norht in order to relaive pain... no pain pills help

[txsilver]

Thank you for your prayers.  I am blessed in that I am responding well to treatment.
Remicade is one of the drugs used to treat AS.  The only way to know if it is working is that you will, in time, feel less pain, have your inflamation indicators drop to normal ranges and xrays/mris will indicate that the disease progression has slowed or even stopped.  The thing about blood tests is that you can have or not have the condition regardless of what the blood test says.  There is a genetic indicator, HLA B27, that has been linked to AS.  I do not have it, but I still have AS.  (I also tested very high for scleroderma and it turns out I do not have it so the tests really can be misleading.)  Blood test provide guidelines for doctors and help diagnose but cannot be effective without symptoms and physical evidence from exams, x-rays and/or MRIs.

[Nortbach]

thanks, doc did say at one point that if i did have AS that the Remicade medications would treat that too along with the RA it is being given for.

howeve this sure is a new pain... would like to know what it is and also
does Remicade really treat AS ?   and how do u know if it is working on AS?

are there any blood tests for AS?  

You poor thing txsilver,  I be prayen for youtoo.

God Bless
N

[txsilver]

Yes, you can have RA and AS.  I know because I do.  :)  That said, you would need to have your rheummy check to see if your spine is indicative of AS.  The hallmark sign is SI joint involvement (joints where your spine joins your pelvis.)  Spinal fusing is another sign but hopefully it is caught before this happens.  (Oddly, pain is good news in this case because fused joints do not hurt.)  It is usually diagnosed by the following features:  onset before 35, pain for over 3 months, pain is worse overnight and when immobile and better with activity and a positive response to NSAIDs.