Spondyloarthritis Treatment in Riverside, CA

Overview of Spondyloarthritis

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of diseases that cause inflammation, which means swelling and pain. They mostly affect the spine and joints. But they can also affect other parts of the body, such as the eyes, skin and gut.

Understanding Spondyloarthritis

These diseases often start before age 45. They are most common in young adults. In the United States, more than 3 million people have some form of SpA. That makes it more common than several other well-known autoimmune diseases.

Types of Spondyloarthritis

SpA has two main types. A person can have both.

• Axial spondyloarthritis: This type mostly affects the spine and hips. It causes pain, stiffness and swelling that do not go away.
• Peripheral spondyloarthritis: This type affects joints and tendons outside the spine. Examples are the hands, feet, knees and ankles. It causes swelling or pain.

It is common for a person to have symptoms of both types. The main symptoms help doctors decide which type a person has.

Axial Spondyloarthritis

The key sign of axial SpA (axSpA) is pain and stiffness in the lower back or buttocks that does not go away. It often comes from swelling in the sacroiliac joints. These joints connect the spine to the pelvis. The pain usually starts slowly, most often before age 45. It lasts more than three months. Moving around tends to ease the pain, but rest does not. Many people are stiff in the morning for at least 30 minutes. AxSpA can also affect other parts of the body:

• The neck, hips and shoulders.
• The eyes, with a painful swelling called iritis.
• The gut, with inflammatory bowel disease.
• The skin, with psoriasis.

AxSpA comes in two kinds:

• Radiographic axSpA (ankylosing spondylitis): X-rays show changes in the spine, or bones in the spine that have grown together.
• Non-radiographic axSpA: The symptoms are the same, but X-rays do not show these changes. An MRI may still find swelling. Some people with this kind later get ankylosing spondylitis.

Peripheral Spondyloarthritis

Peripheral SpA causes swelling and pain in joints and tendons outside the spine. It often affects the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles and feet. It can also cause:

• Dactylitis. A whole finger or toe swells up.
• Enthesitis. The spots where tendons attach to bones swell and hurt.
• Problems in other parts of the body, like the eyes, gut or skin.

Peripheral SpA comes in a few kinds:

• Psoriatic arthritis (PsA): It causes pain and swelling in the small joints of the hands and feet. Many people also have psoriasis, which causes scaly patches of skin. It can also affect the spine or cause dactylitis.
• Enteropathic arthritis: It happens in people with inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. It often comes with stomach and gut symptoms.
• Reactive arthritis: It usually starts after an infection in the gut or the urinary tract. It can cause swollen joints. It may also affect the eyes, skin or urinary and genital organs. It usually does not last long. But in some people it lasts or comes back.

Undifferentiated spondyloarthritis: Doctors use this name when a person’s symptoms do not fit neatly into the other types. For example, a person might have eye swelling, heel pain and a swollen knee, but none of the other usual signs.

Juvenile Spondyloarthritis

When SpA starts in children or teens, it is called juvenile spondyloarthritis. It can affect the spine (axial) or other joints (peripheral). Enthesitis is common in young people. This is pain and swelling where tendons and ligaments attach to bone.

Living With Spondyloarthritis

SpA is a mixed group of diseases. They can affect the spine, the joints and other organs. Finding it early and getting care that fits you are key. They help ease symptoms and prevent problems. Knowing the different types of SpA helps people get the care they need. That can help you feel better and enjoy a better quality of life.