Suffering with this since 36. Finally diagnosed at 53. Thank you Doctor! 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

I got a very fast diagnosis, 1 month from seeing a doctor and the initial blood tests, to full amount of tests and consultant diagnosis.

I have been waiting 8 years for a confirmed diagnosis. Have been told it'd nerve/disc as often as I've been told it's ankylosing spondylitis. It impacts the days I work/work I can do, which results in workplace treating me like a liar - because it's invisible pain. It is frustrating not knowing for sure.

Currently 37 years old. Diagnosed at age 34. Symptoms started as early as 14 years old. Disease went untreated and undiagnosed for nearly 2 decades. This resulted in a slow but gradual fusion of my entire spine, SI joints and neck. Has begun to creep into ribs more recently. No longer can move my head as it’s in a fixed downward angle and protrudes a solid 4-6 inches past my centerline if looking at my profile from side. This leaves me staring at the ground and an off centered posture. This leads to a cascade of problems all the way down to my ankles and toes due to weight imbalance of head over shoulders which domino effects the rest of my thoracic and lower back into my hips. Have been working physical labor jobs and struggling with a drug addiction since around the age of 16-17 years old. Didn’t realize I was self medicating my undiagnosed disease for the longest time. So of course addiction has been a journey through hell all on its own let alone having this curse of a disease. I have experienced withdrawal countless times before getting proper treatment and God only knows how that accelerated my disease as well. Doing a fair bit better now but everyday is still chronic pain. Some days worse than others. Always the worst in mornings when first waking and towards end of day or after any moderate amount of physical exertion to attempt to stand as straight as I can, particularly in public as I don’t think I’ll ever accept how I’ve come to look at the age of 37. More OK with and have accepted this is my life now and that my once not disabled, healthy body was a thing of the past. In the end it is what it is. It’s finding the strength to persevere everyday after being worn down minute after minute, day after day by chronic pain that is the struggle. Movement is key. It’s gonna hurt and a lot at first but it does get easier once you get out of that stiff, rigid bodied state. Light general stretching based on your limitations. Progress was slow and very gradual but once I loosened up the relief was incredible. Stretching must be maintained every day. Don’t over do but progress can easily be lost if not disciplined about frequency of daily stretching and overall movement/activity.

Thank you for your channel. I just got diagnosed in 2021. I've dealing with symptoms since i was a kid. I got diagnosed at 52 years old and misdiagnosed at age 28 with fibromyalgia.

I started having symptoms when I was 19, I was having back and neck pains like I was a middle aged woman. I figured it was because I did full contact martial arts + bmx biking + climbing on buildings and jumping off from way too high. When I was 30 I got in an accident and was bedbound for a while. Instead of feeling better, I felt worse! Doctors still didn't see it, sent me to a weightloss course instead. Fast forward to when I was 36 and I got iritis 6 times in a span of 1.5y, which made my opthalmologist send me to a rheumatologist, who suspected AS, I was HLA-B27 positive but nothing was clealy visible on x-rays but she did start me on meds. I got my official diagnosis at age 44, after my x-rays showed something and I had a good enough insurance to be able to afford the MRI. I am very grateful to my opthalmologist, without him I would still not have known. Thanks for the info, it's a weird one.

Excellent video. I have ankylosing spondylitis, been diagnosed since 2017. It's painful, but there are some great exercises & stretches to help.

I'm calling it, you're the best medical channel on yt.

had such a weird case with my si joints. I don't have AS but for some reason my si joints flare up all the time, after lifting heavy weights, I did everything to manage it but ultimately had to stop lifting. I 100% don't have it but there was a time in my life that I believe a had so im super greatfull.

Thank you Dr. Excellent explantion of AS. I am 57 male and my sacrillac joints are fused and whole spine is fused along with shoulder replacements. I currently take Zeljanz it helps. Thank you again Dr.

Hmmm didn’t know about AS and that it’s an autoimmune disease, but only spondylitis. Will definitely ask the Rheumatologist and Neurosurgeon about it during my next appointments. Thank you Dr Andrea!

The belly dancing has given me better balance and better mobility and it’s fun. It puts no pressure on the lower spine. I used to not be able to move in the mornings. My son would have to put a pain pill along with excedrin in my mouth and bring my water to my mouth. I would cry every morning and hurt so much during the day. My ESR was in the 90’s. The enbrel improved my life so much. And being able to move with belly dance with Portia on KZfaq has allowed me to move without pain. I strongly recommend belly dancing with Portia on youtube

Thx for sharing this. So educational and valuable for ourselves but also for our relatives. You don’t speak (if I’m not mistaken) about the correlations between inflammation and the weather ( pressure, rain, etc). Any chance of a video about that? :-) I’d like to know more about this topic. Thx again. I do your exercises everyday and it makes a huge difference in my daily life.

Thank you for the video Dr Furlan.

Thank you for all your presentations.

excellent presentation and clear explanation of the disease. thank you very much.

Beautifully explained ❤

Thank you Dr Andrea! Nagyon hasznosak a tanacsaid! 👍💖

Thank you Dr I have been to the clinic severally, rheumatoid factor and uric acid is negative but still having triggered fingers, so I will talk to my doctor again with this advice.

I have AS. Symptoms started when I was about 17 and got diagnosed at 33 by a rheumatologist

Nice video Dr Andrea Furlan and see you next week as well

I had a failed fusion surgery at L-5 S-1, failed back surgery syndrome is what they call it, no feeling in left thigh, very stressful, very well video, very informitive. Thank You.

Thank you Dr. You explained AS very well.

A very informative video thank you. I have this condition and have never been given any information on how to manage it, aside from being given the medication Celebrex. The greatest fear for any patient is the long term progression of AS and related spinal issues.

Thank you Dr Andrea.

Superb video very informative Thanxx

Marvelous video doc diet also play major role in this condition

I really needed to hear this and thank you for sharing this with us

🙏 Namaste/Hello Respected Dr. Andrea Furlan. About a year ago I requested you to make a vlog on ankylosing spondylitis and keeping that request in mind, you made a vlog on the subject and released it today. I really appreciate your memory. You are a Great ! God_Bless_You ever⚘⚘ Regards, Sameer Ghogale From India, Maharashtra State.

I had back pain since I was 14, and was diagnosed 2 years ago. I’m 69, and can hardly do anything that requires spine movement, standing, sitting, or coking.

I started getting neck spine and hip pain in my early 20s took doctors 15 years to diagnose from age 37 to 56 I’ve had 2 hip replacement’s and on anti TNF therapy 😂😂😂

Hi Doctor, Great information & Thanks for the Video! I ve been diagnosed with AS recently, had to go through bilateral hips replacement surgeries as my both joints were stiffed. Now the pain is getting worse on my back, im 25yo hunched back disable guy. I been taking ADALIMUMAB EXEMPTIA Injection before this i was taking ADALIPCA, already taken 30-35 injections. Nothing happened

Thank you

I am currently experiencing pain from AS and am not able to do any exercises because then it hurts even more. When the inflammation is in progress, it dont't hurts only when I lie in a specific position so that I don't press on the source of the pain. All the time, I take ketoprofen 100 mg 3 times a day. When I don't take it, it hurts excruciatingly. They left me with a suspicious AS diagnosis forever. I had my first pain when I was 24, and now I'm 57. In the meantime, I also got type 2 diabetes. What saddens me the most is that I love working in the garden, but everything in the garden has to be done in a bent position, which causes a new series of pains. This series that is going on now is the worst so far because it has been going on for a month. I wait for it to pass completely, and then I throw myself into the exercises, I hope they will help me.

Excellent video on AS ( bamboo spine) ..well said dr andrea actually once the problem becomes chronic like formation of gibbus deformity ( angular kyphosis) then only our drs suggested blood test hlab27 ....and mri si joint to confirm ....here patients 2 to 3 percent approximately in India ...doing trying all therapy including dmd ....swimming mostly advised ....yoga therapy ...like ...as you said mind body therapy and exercises plays a key role .awaiting for that 12 exercises demo from yours ...madam ....great

Video molto interessante 👍❤️🤗🙋🏼

Nice video 👍🙏🌹💕

Dear docter can we do exercises at acute stage of the disease

Who would be the specialist I would see to diagnose or rule out AS? I have the majority of the symptoms you mentioned and have just been seen by a rheumatologist because of a very serious and unexplained case of uveitis that nearly costed my vision but they only seemed to be concerned in ruling out RA. What can I do to make sure that it’s not being missed if I do have it? Thank you.

Congratulations for 564 k Subscribers . Soon 1 millions 🙏🙏🙏....One Question madam . . I have Weak muscles and Weak bone... Weak Spine \ Backbone.. 🙏🙏 spinal cord \. The waist bends After Some time ....there is difficulty in keeping the spine \Backbone straight.. 🙏🙏🙏any yoga Asana or Excercise or food Suggestions 🙏🙏

I thought the pain came from my urinary tract so went for UVI's but there was no bacteria in it. Now I know what it was and that it isnt normal to always be in pain..

❤💕you 💕 look so beautiful take care of yourself Dr❤❤

Beautiful as your skills ❤❤

Bending exercises are vital to overcome the issue, apart from a body massage.

Enbrel has been life changing. I’ve found an exercise I can do. Belly dancing on KZfaq with Portia.

My moms been complaining to her pcp about back pain and he does X-rays and that’s it doesn’t want to get to the bottom of why she’s having this pain and i feel bad she’s always complaining about it

What happens if you have both AS and hypermobility? Stretching isn't great for hypermobility. 😢

True story: I had some back issue from a fall on my hip, and I developed a painful spinal arthritis that was causing locking, and other things...I was told the type of arthritis I had would only get worse and my pain was only going to get worse, and one surgeon told me I better start taking pills, I am going to have a hard time doing anything. Never did, the side effects of these pills were early death. I just quit grains 7 (?) weeks ago for weight loss, and within days my pain, and "seized up morning-sunshine-spine" was totally Gone! I feel like a 30 year old, pain wise. 🤸🏼‍♀️🤸🏼‍♀️🤸🏼‍♀️

It is taking some time to be able to get in for an MRI. I just hope they ordered the right one and actually put in the notes what to look for. X-rays are getting worse quickly. My neck looks like I'm 90 years old. In my 20s, they say 80 years old. 😂

Hello 👋 I have too much pain this both side back

madam 🙏for Spine or Backbone 🙏 Please make Video on Excercise or Suggest Please Some Excercise in comment . ...

Can Spinal fusion, SI joint fusion and knee fusion decrease our body height if it does how would we know what is our actual height without Ankylosing Spondylitis is there any way available please reply.

Can you help me.

It will take 14 years to diagnose, then wrong treatment then corona 2 years then another 2 years block because of office politics ( not getting leaves ) ... My life is destroyed .. being born super talented and thinker which i am not now , now i am dumb .. I also had to fights against narcissist environment .. Both kill my nervous system .... Delay of treatment and narcissist atmosphere and chain incidents finished me ... Last bullet came from soulmate ( i thought ) , injustice ... And when i am going towards death, i saw my close peoples .. like they wanted to fall me down ... I never thought people envy me so much, jealous people doesn't like those happy people who never out of smile even in bad situation .. So they want me to see in that situation ... Unfortunately ... I can't broke 100 bones my own people ... But some people will get punishment who either block or create problems in my treatment ... Ankylosing spondylitis is pain .. along with heart pain ... And now i lost my super brain and cool happy naive attitude ... Already spend near million rupees ... Even i had a good job .. but no money .. no time ... And might be had to lose job .... Just desease give everry opportunity to destroy you ...

Does Mild posterior disc bulge can cause lBS doctor?

@2:25 it can't be detected with a blood test 🤷 l was diagnosed after having blood tests and x-rays, l was told l was carrying a certain gene that was found in the blood and that was way back in 1986.

Dr.Furlan what is ankylosing spondylitis?

31 years for me to get AS diagnosis. Record?

I am 40 male. Hbb27 is positive and I have mild symptom of A S . How long should I take medicine to overcome this disease ? Is it possible to cure only by strechting exercise ?

Suffering from 2005 (age14) ... Finally diagnosed 2023 ☹️

🙏

Autoimmune disease can be turn into remission by changing lifestyle . Simply healing gut ,optimise mitrocondral health ,proper nutrition , detoxifiying body . Whats your comment about this ? Finally found any allopathic doctor who atleast say food can play role.Most of the doctor in the allopathic world say food can do nothing in these condition .

Can DDD be this disease you are talking about.

10 years With this, and Im feeling like a zombii.....😢

👍🏾

I have every symptom and the HLA marker but its early and nothing showing up in scans. Frustrated my GP says it sounds like it, the rheumatologist says no it will show up in the scans. It doesn't unless you're advanced. Get a second or third opinion people.

Hi Dr Furlan, I am a Follower of your Channel. I'm 71 YO, male, suffering with Chronic Pain and stiffness for Decades. I have a 1.15" shorter right leg sustained after fracturing my right Femur in 1966 playing HS Football. It was left Unaddressed by the Doctor at that time, as they knew Nothing of Bone Growth plates back then. After about 15 years or so, without a prescribed adjusted shoe, the lower back pains started. Over the years, they gravitated to the the neck (even to the top of my head. Finally, after suffering progressivley, I went to see an Othorpedic Dr. in 2011. he detected that i had a Dextroscoliosis of 22 degrees (now 25 degrees), prescribed a shoe adjustment which wa done to my business dress shoes. But, interestingly, it was a little shy of the total height needed. Why? Because as he said, if we push that adjustment, similar to fixiing a crooked house beam, many other settled in areas can be affected. I was directed to Pain Management Dr. he took a series of my first MRIs: Cerrvical, and Lumbar (and much later Thoracic). The Cervical MRI showed that I had a More Narrow than Normal Spinal Canal (which i only learned of 8 months ago). I have numerous Disc issues of Bulges, Hernaitians, Spondyliosis throughout the spine, facet joint arthritis , OA in the Cervical Spne C2-C7 affected with spurs , etc. And as one doctor said .....I have Mighty Thin Spinal Discs... so DDD througout. In 2018, I went to see a Rheumatologist who examined me and was assessing whether I had AS or RA. The gene test HB-27b (?) was negative. her exam revealed that I did Not have AS in her opinion. She did detect that I had SI joint inflammation : Sacroiliitis. She told me that the SI Joints are Ground Zero for all Spinal Ailments! I am Bone on Bone in the right Knee (Fractured Femur) , deteriorating left knee, and OA in my left Hip. The OA is encroaching in my fingers too. L2 and L3 Discs are Bulging into the front (into the stomach area) and into the rear (into the spinal canal), L5 -S1 has Spondyloethesis of about 25%. The one thing I feel you Don't point out is.....The compression of the spine greatly affects the Central and Peripheral Nervous systems. I have lost all reflexes, the peripheral and central nervous sytems are "Merging" as my Neurologist told me (in practice for over 50 years at Co;umbia Pres in NY). And I experience neuropathy pains in my legs and feet. There is No surgery to help - went to 6 different spinal & Neruo Surgeons for opinions. I do not take Meds (I stopped the Gabapentin a year ago) only occassional Advil or Alleve. Last point, a working carpenter told me that to deal with his arthritis pains, he took 1 or 2 Advil in combo with 1 Extra Strength Tylenol and it worked very well. I tried that and he was Right. Each med deals with the pains in different manners. I continue to watch your channel and that of others for all tghe Info I can Get !! THX

Hlw mam my fiance suffering in this deases... please help me 😢

What about when eyes are attacked ? Bowels ? Not just the pain its a degenerative disease

.Congratulations for 564 k Subscribers . Soon 1 millions 🙏🙏🙏....One Question madam . . I have Weak muscles and Weak bone... Weak Spine \ Backbone.. 🙏🙏 spinal cord \. The waist bends After Some time ....there is difficulty in keeping the spine \Backbone straight.. 🙏🙏🙏any yoga Asana or Excercise or food Suggestions 🙏🙏