| Spondyloarthopathy is a long word referring to a | | | | inflammatory causes tends to come on after |
| group of autoimmune inflammatory forms of arthritis | | | | midnight and in the early morning. Exercise improves |
| that may affect the spine. Examples of diseases that | | | | inflammatory back symptoms but makes mechanical |
| fall into this category include Ankylosing spondylitis, | | | | back pain worse. The peak age of onset is usually |
| psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis (Reiter's disease), | | | | 12-40 years for inflammatory spine disease and 20-65 |
| juvenile spondyloarthropathy, and the arthritis | | | | years for mechanical. |
| associated with inflammatory bowel disease. | | | | One major distinguishing characteristic is the presence |
| Factors these diseases have in common are:o They | | | | of enthesitis. This is inflammation where the tendons |
| affect the sacroiliac joints and the spineo Other joints | | | | meet the bone. |
| including the fingers and toes may become inflamedo | | | | Other areas that this type of arthritis may affect |
| Increased family history of the diseaseo Lack of | | | | include the eyes (iritis), lungs (restrictive lung disease), |
| rheumatoid factor | | | | heart (aortic valve disease, heart block), gut |
| The HLA-B27 gene is markedly associated with this | | | | (inflammatory bowel), and skin (psoriasis). |
| set of conditions. This is detected through blood | | | | Peculiar sausage shaped swelling of the fingers and |
| testing. | | | | toes can also occur. This is called dactylitis. |
| The back pain associated with spondyloarthropathy | | | | The inflammatory spondyloarthropathies are a |
| has a few distinguishing features that separates it | | | | progressive debilitating form of arthritis. The diagnosis |
| from mechanical back pain due to degenerative | | | | must be established as early as possible so that |
| arthritis. | | | | aggressive treatment can be instituted. This group od |
| Inflammatory back pain cause extended morning | | | | disorders can be controlled and often may be put |
| stiffness- at least an hour or longer. The pain from | | | | into sustained remission. |