Tue, 17 Dec 2024 23:57:42 GMT

As I mention in my profile, and my handle "The Man with AS", I have ankylosing spondylisis. It's a rare arthritis that "attacks" the vertebrea of a person spine. If untreated, the "attack" fuses the vertebrea and the spine becomes immovable.

The call the resulting fusing "bambooing" of the spine because it looks like bamboo when viewed in an X-ray. I started having back issues in my late teens (70s) and in my late 20s my doctor told me I had arthritis but never referred me to a rheumatologist.

Into my late 30s undiagnosed until my new DO intern, who suspected what was going on with me, had me get some blood work and X-rays. The blood work came back with the antigen common with AS and further review of my X-rays showed the telltale signs.

Needless to say, going undiagnosed for 20+ years meant that the AS pretty much did it's thing to my whole spine. The only vertebrea that is clear of any fusing in my 5 lumbar which is the last one at the bottom of your spine.

Thankfully the "process" to my spine has completed and I'm no longer having daily back issues, though with a completely fused spine, that are a lot of things that I can't do. But a cool trick is lying on the floor and my head never touches it.

Though there is no cure, and no really understanding why AS occurs, the advancements in treatments have allowed for folks diagnosed with AS to not have the debilitating effects of the fusing of the spine.

Anyway, here are the last X-rays I had taken back in 2012.

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