April is Ankylosing Spondylitis (ank-kih-low-sing spon-dil-eye-tiss) awareness month. Not many people have heard of AS or are unsure about what exactly it is.

According to spondylitis.org, AS is defined as “a form arthritis that primarily affects the spine, although other joints can become involved. It causes inflammation of the spinal joints (vertebrae) that can lead to severe, chronic pain and discomfort.”

Mayo Clinic reports that more than 200,000 people are affected by AS per year. Mayo Clinic also reports that “men are more likely to develop ankylosing spondylitis than are women.”

It is also found that it generally begins to develop in “late adolescence or early adulthood” and that most who have AS have the HLA-B27 gene, but not always.

According to spondylitis.org, the most common early symptoms of AS are frequent pain and stiffness in the lower back and buttocks, which comes on gradually over the course of a few weeks or months.

My own father, Stephen Wilson, has been affected by AS for over two decades. It is a very debilitating form of arthritis and limits most physical activity, but not all.

“I hope a lot of people realize that, even though it’s a disability, I still have days where I can do everyday things,” Wilson said.

AS can affect ligaments, that back and spine, hips and shoulders, the chest and the jaw. While it is more common in the back and spine, it is not limited.

“Some days I do my best to just bear it, ignore it, focus on living, but some days my pain wins — and I struggle to keep my mind positive and just want to cry... which on occasion I do,” Faith, a member of the spondylitis.org online community, said.

While there is no cure for AS yet, those that are affected are very active in trying to raise awareness for it. If you think that you might be affected by this disability, see a rheumatologist immediately.