This condition is of interest to me because of a collaboration a few years back with an orthopedic surgeon who specialized in back pain. Most of his patients also had additional signs/symptoms, such as severe fatigue, headaches, heart problems, short-term memory loss, arthritis symptoms, night sweats, etc. Almost all of the back pain patients with heart problems had either systemic Chlamydia pneumoniae or Mycoplasma species infections or both.
His specialty procedure was to remove protruding spinal cord tissue to relieve back pain. Ultimately, however, the pain came back. When we examined some small pieces of tissue from buldging spinal cord by PCR, the tissue contained the infections above, especially C. pneumoniae. Adjuvant treatment of his patients for the chronic infections resulted in complete recovery and resolution of heart problems as well.
I thought that this information might interest you.
Prof. Garth Nicolson
I was told I had this gene when I was 28yo, now im 35, but did not have AS, Im in constant pain, with bad weather the pain returns with a vengence. I try to keep active as much as possible, but its a case of 1 step forward 2 back. We people with back pain need to perservere and keep mobile. Quit smoking cold turkey. increase your fibre and try to eat heaps of fruit and vegetables that dont block u up. good luck.