Signs Your Back Pain Is Actually Ankylosing Spondylitis

Lower back pain happens to millions of Americans every year, and back pain can be caused by a number of reasons. If your back pain keeps coming back — and it’s not because your mattress is wrong for you — it might be time to investigate if something more serious is causing the problem.

One possible cause of lower back pain is ankylosing spondylitis (AS), an inflammatory arthritis that causes pain and stiffness in the spine. It’s the most common form of arthritis within the spondyloarthritis family, which causes inflammation where ligaments and tendons attach to the bones, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Learn more about what ankylosing spondylitis is here.

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Written by:

Lauren Smith, MA

Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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