Life with Spondylitis
Life with spondylitis, an inflammatory disease, can mean living your days in constant lower back pain as your immune system attacks your joints and spine. Unfortunately, because your outward appearance may not reflect the physical pain happening in your body, your friends, family, co-workers, and other observers might think you’re perfectly fine. One survey found that 54 percent of people with ankylosing spondylitis felt that friends and family did not understand their chronic illness. Spondylitis and chronic pain can take a toll on your overall wellness and quality of life. A strong network of support is one way to get the help you need when living with spondylitis. Because the symptoms of spondylitis are often invisible, it’s important to be able to discuss your condition with the people who love you most or those who will see you most often. Understanding Spondylitis Pain Spondylitis , a type of arthritis, is an autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system