Submitted by Dr. Shelby Entner

Ankylosing Spondylitis is a form of chronic inflammation of the spine and the spondylitis joints. The sacroiliac joints are located in the lower back where the sacrum (the bone directly above the tailbone) meets the iliac bones (bones on either side of the upper buttocks). Chronic inflammation in these areas causes pain and stiffness in and around the spine. Over time, chronic inflammation of the spine (spondylitis) can lead to complete cementing together (fusion) of the vertebrae. This process is referred to as Ankylosis, which leads to loss of mobility of the spine.

Ankylosing spondylitis is also a systemic disease, meaning it can affect other tissues throughout the body. Ankylosing spondylitis is considered one of the many rheumatic diseases because it can cause symptoms involving muscles and joints. The symptoms of pain and stiffness are often worse in the morning or after prolonged periods of inactivity. The pain and stiffness are often eased by motion and heat.

About 1% of the world's population is afflicted by rheumatoid arthritis, women three times more often than men. Onset is most frequent between the ages of 40 and 50, but people of any age can be affected. It can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of function and mobility if not adequately treated. Rheumatoid arthritis typically manifests with signs of inflammation, with the affected joints being swollen, warm, painful and stiff. This occurs most frequently early in the morning when waking or following prolonged inactivity. Increased stiffness early in the morning is often a prominent feature of the disease and typically lasts for more than an hour. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as in other organs in the body. During flare ups, joints frequently become red, swollen, painful, and tender.

In a 2009 article in the medical journal Clinical Rheumatology, an infrared sauna was used to evaluate if it would provide a positive effect on those patients being studied who had either rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis.