Ankylosing spondylitis information and advice.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease of the spinal column. See symptoms, causes diagnosis and treatment details. Please see or list disability sites offering information, facts, advice or service relating to ankylosing spondylitis. Includes world wide sites offering information related to this desease.Ankylosing spondylitis (AS; also known as Bechterew's disease; Bechterew syndrome; Marie Strümpell disease / Marie Struempell disease / Spondyloarthritis) is a chronic, painful, degenerative inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting spine and sacroiliac joints, causing eventual fusion of the spine; it is a member of the group of the autoimmune spondyloarthropathies with a probable genetic predisposition. Complete fusion results in a complete rigidity of the spine, a condition known as bamboo spine.