question about spondyloarthritis

hi bamagal.

it would be a pleasure to help ya out!

when we're talking any type of "spondy" we're focusing in on the vertebrea or basically your spine.  it's basic definition of spondylarthritis would be inflammation of the joints of the vertebrea or better yet "arthritis of the spine".

the spondy types of arthritis are then categorized by what's causing them: degeneration from osteo arthritis, complications from rheumatic diseases which may cause an ankylosing spondylitis (a fusing type of arthritis), a bony outgrowth of the vertebrea, hypertrophy (same way a knee joint would get bigger from arthritis caused by inflammation) or disintegration.

so as with any type of inflammatory arthritis, spondylarthritis is just a way to say it's in the vertebrea.

there are official websites for spondylarthritis'...i think Ducky knows them. but i'm sure someone will come and leave them for you. it's a good site & it's approved so you will receive correct information.

did you doc say what he/she would like to do to treat it?

what kind of symptoms are you having in your back? backache, spasms?

you take good care & write back when you can.

sincerely,

erin

Thanks for the replies Erin and Ides. Just a brief history: I have had pain in my lower back for years. Now I am also hurting in the buttock area. It hurts mostly when trying to sleep and early in the morning. Several years ago I had an MRI on the lower back and was told that I had degenerative arthritis. Back in May I saw my primary doctor for extreme fatigue and pain. I had a positive ANA test and was sent to the Rheumy. I saw him a couple of weeks ago for the first time and he said that I could have spondyloarthritis, sjogrens, or even SLE. he started me on plaquenil and naprosen and I have to go back in 3 months. So, I do not have a definite diagnosis yet. My knee pain is better but I am still having a lot of pain in my lower back and buttocks. All the Rheumy told me was spondyloarthritis. He didn't tell me that there were different types. I have just been trying to find out some information. From what I have read online the low back and buttock pain sound a lot like it. I appreciate all the info.

Bamagal~Did ya ever get a dx ?? Yours sounds a lot like what I have been going through. I also have sjogrens....it's the only sure dx I have right now. Just had my first rheumy appointment on jan 4th so am waiting on results of all they ran, but he thinks it is an overlap of a bunch of things with sjogrens as secondary.

Hope to hear an update!

Sha