Using Assistive Devices...Axial spondyloarthritis can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in the back and hips along with other joints such as the knees, shoulder, and feet. The disease does not develop the...reactionscomments
Finding a Good Rheumatologist...People who have chronic health conditions like ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or axial spondyloarthritis might be advised by their regular doctor or primary care physician to see a specialist known as...reactions8comments
Reflecting on My 2 Year AS Diagnosis-versary...February 27th, 2020 marked the two year anniversary of the day I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. I call it my diagnosis-versary. For me, it’s a day that’s just as...reactions5comments
How AS Patients Can Be Better To One Another...As an AS patient, I've lived in forums and Facebook groups, attended AS support meetings and met or corresponded with all sorts of "AS influencers," if you will. We all...reactions1comment
Be True To Yourself: Even If It Hurts...You’re walking down the street and you run into someone you know. They stop to talk and the first question they ask is: “How are you?” When you have a...reactions3comments
Hoping For Light to Get Me Through the Dark...I feel fragile. It doesn’t take much to set me off both physically and mentally right now, and I know it’s because of my progressing AxSpA. My condition seems to...reactions1comment
What Type of Shoes Do You Wear? Do They Help With Pain?...In a recent conversation on our Facebook page, the group talked about shoes that help with their pain and discomfort. Many people mentioned Sketchers and Crocks. Others said being barefoot...reactions8replies
Do Biologics Help Your Flares? I'm Seeing A Rheumatologist Soon...Hello everyone! I am still undiagnosed but finally got an appointment with a rheumatologist, though they couldn't get me in until October 1. I'm in the midst of a flare-up...reactions2replies
What words do you use to describe AxSpA?...Recently our community advocate, Jessica, wrote this article describing the struggle that is finding the words to describe pain from AxSpA. Pain is difficult to describe: what words do you...reactions7replies
How It Feels to Be Young and High-Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Part II...Editors note: You can read Diana's "How It Feels to Be Young and High-Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Part I" here. As I've delved deeper into the anger I’ve been...reactions2comments
Is Anyone Having Success With Biologics?...I have had back pain since I was 16 years old. When in my early twenties I went to Orthopedic MD who took an xray on my upper back and...reactions7comments
How long did it take you to get a diagnosis for AxSpA/AS?...It can take years to get a diagnosis for axial spondyloarthritis/ankylosing spondylitis. On average, it can take somewhere between 8-11 years from initial symptom onset to get diagnosed. However, many...reactions2replies
5 Questions to Ask the Chronically Ill Person in Your Life (And 5 Questions To Avoid)...If you know someone with a chronic illness like axial spondyloarthritis, you may have questions. This is a good thing — it likely means you want to better understand and...reactions2comments
COVID-19 Updates, July 16: Updates on People at Risk, Testing, Reopening, and a Vaccine...Even after months of navigating life in the COVID-19 era, keeping up with new information and news can be overwhelming. Below are some of the latest developments surrounding COVID-19 for...reactionscomments
Jessica Gama...Jessica was previously a health leader on AxialSpondyloarthritis.net. Jessica is a writer, artist, wife, academic, dog-mom, and outdoor enthusiast who is learning more each and every day about life with...
2019 My Diagnosis...I have always had back problems and had some injuries to my back in my life that my body was telling me was more serious than what the doctors were...reactions2comments
The Pain is Unbearable...Hi everyone, I apologize for the long post in advance it's the first time I've ever posted anything like this on any kind of website. I have just signed up...reactions2comments
AS Ruined My Life. Now trying to get it back together....I'm not a native English speaker. Please forgive my mistakes! I've been mistreated so many times with "professional" help, so I would like some advice from people that are going...reactions3comments
Ankylosing Spondylitis: Chronic Pain and Chronic Fatigue...I had a few symptoms before I even knew I had AS. All these things that led up to where I currently am, doctors not knowing for the longest time...reactions3comments
All I Want from Santa....(And Doctors)...I loved my friends, I loved my job, I loved life. I worked for our state, Alaska, for almost 17 years. I found my husband at this job, and also...reactions1comment
