MRI - positive or negative

Welcome, - from your comment I see you have done some reading on our community site. Brava for taking your health into your hands to find answers! I am sorry you are going through this pain and discomfort and confusion and chaos related to nr-axial spondyloarthritis. This disease process is confusing to many. Lacking inflammation doesn't me you don't have axial spondyloarthritis. For YEARS, I have had NO evidence on imaging that I was suffering from inflammation in my body. Each time I had an MRI done there was no problem seen and I had to seemingly convince my doctors I was in pain. scratching their head they treated me with first-line therapies - anti-inflammatories, PT, etc. ( https://axialspondyloarthritis.net/treatment ) to no avail. It surely has been a rough road. I had no elevated inflammatory markers on blood work until I was around 45-yo and in an extended period of deep pain we call a FLARE ( https://axialspondyloarthritis.net/living/flare-up-feelings )- I couldn't walk, any movement made me scream in pain, and this is when evidence began showing up. I had irregular signs of inflammation or what is considered uncommon signs of the disease - a ripped hamstring, severe inflammation in the tendons and ligaments of the pelvic girdle and psoas muscle and spine, and my joints that were breaking down quickly. My SI joints were structurally fine with no fusion and the structure of my spine looked "fine," although many discs were breaking down, I was told. Only when they began looking deeper did they discover the real cause of my pain and any action taken to ease my pain. I then asked for an MRI with/without contrast. It showed I had severe enthesitis which is inflammation at the insertion points of tendons and ligaments in my spine and pelvis, in my whole body, and each time I moved it felt like they were ripping apart. I also discovered I have peripheral disease as well - IBS-related issues and uveitis from which I suffered for years ( https://axialspondyloarthritis.net/types ) but no connection was made. Comorbidities are common with spondyloarthritis. This "dis-ease" was treated with biological medications (several different trials of biologics) until I found the one that worked well enough to ease my discomfort. The story continues on - I am much better now and watch for continued damage with yearly exams, 3-month rheumy, ortho and neurologic visits, PT, exercise, nutrition etc. to manage this disease. I hope this helps you understand the process some go through, others experience are different. Know you are not alone in this struggle. We are here to listen to your story. Stay awhile, read some, come back often. Warmly ~ Rebecca (comm advc)