Ankylosing spondylitis. Coloured X-ray of the lower spine of a patient affected by Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). In this severe case the vertebrae of t

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Ankylosing spondylitis. Coloured X-ray of the lower spine of a patient affected by Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). In this severe case the vertebrae of the spine have become fused giving a \bamboo spine\" appearance. AS is a chronic inflammatory arthritis affecting joints between the vertebrae of the spine and the sacro-iliac joints (which connect the sacral spine to the pelvis). Inflammation typically begins in the sacro-iliac joints or lumbar spine, & may progress up the spine. The neck and hips may also be affected. Pain and stiffness are treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and spinal mobility preserved through physiotherapy."

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Size: 2532px × 3360px
Photo credit: © ALFRED PASIEKA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -ray, .., ankylosing, arthritic, arthritis, bamboo, condition, disease, disorder, fused, fusion, healthcare, joint, medical, medicine, spinal, spine, spondylitis, vertebra, vertebral, xray