Ankylosing spondylitis (pronounced ank-kih-low-sing spon-dill-eye-tiss), or AS
It's AS awareness month.
It's an autoimmune inflammatory arthritis.
It's not about wear and tear like with "normal" arthritis. Your body will attack itself, nice huh?
It hurts
Alot.
There's are more people who have AS than MS and lupus yet very few people have heard of the disease.
Usually along with it you will most likely end up with fibromyalgia. Auto immune diseases tend to like company, from my research.
I was dx with AS and fibro approx 4 years ago.
Most days are good even though our pain levels aren't like everyone else's. My 3 or 4 might be an 8 or 9 for someone without a chronic pain illness.
Lately my days haven't been so good though. I'm not sure why but I'm blaming the weather.... why not?
This is my first post about AS awareness. If you'd like to learn more info about it you can go here
http://www.spondylitis.org/about/as.aspx
Also to help understand anyone with a chronic illness or invisible illnesses check out the spoon theory here
http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/
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