Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), is a type of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine. It falls under the umbrella of spondyloarthritis, a category of arthritis diseases that affect the spine.
Chronic back pain is the hallmark symptom of nr-axSpA, but it’s a bit different than other types of back pain. The onset of pain is often gradual and occurs in people under 45 years of age, and the occurrence of the pain is often worse in the morning and better after exercise. People with nr-axSpA may experience pain and inflammation in other parts of their body as well. Learn more about the symptoms of nr-axSpA.
Magdalena Cadet, MD, is a board-certified Rheumatologist in New York. She specializes in autoimmune diseases, arthritis, and health conditions that disproportionately affect women and minorities.
References
Robinson, P. (2019). Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA): Advances in Classification, Imaging and Therapy. Rheumatology and Therapy.
Slobodin, G. (2015). Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis. Israel Medical Association Journal.
UpToDate. Overview of the clinical manifestations and classification of spondyloarthritis.
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