Health Topics A-Z

What Are the Symptoms?

It's important to note that not everyone develops all of the following symptoms, but these are possibilities depending on the severity of the condition.

• Stiffness and pain in the lower back, buttocks, and hips upon waking in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
• Back pain relieved by movement and exercise.
• Difficulty bending the spine.
• Pain in the hips and difficulty walking.
• Pain in the heels and soles of the feet.
• Bent-over posture.
• Straightening of the normal curvature of the spine.
• Fever
• Loss of appetite, weight loss
• Fatigue, decreased energy.
• Eye swelling, redness and pain.
• Sensitivity to light
• Difficulty taking a deep breath (because expanding the chest is difficult and painful).
• Heart failure
• Heart block (problems with the flow of the electrical impulses that control your heart muscle).
• Bowel inflammation like Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis.

Call Your Doctor If:

• You develop persistent lower-back pain.
• You notice that your back feels painful and stiff in the morning, but improves with movement and exercise.
• You have any difficulty or pain drawing a deep breath.
• You have redness or swelling in an eye, or you are abnormally sensitive to light.
• You develop unexplained fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, or fatigue.