World Ankylosing Spondylitis Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Ankylosing Spondylitis

World Ankylosing Spondylitis Day is typically observed on the first Saturday of May, but shifts to the second Saturday if the first Saturday falls on May 1. It falls on May 6 this year. You may be hearing about this illness for the first time and pondering what it is and why you’ve never heard of it before. This disease, which was once considered uncommon, has acquired prominence over the years, necessitating awareness campaigns. Ankylosing Spondylitis (A.S.) is an inflammatory form of arthritis that primarily affects the back and pelvic joints, affecting over three million individuals in the United States alone.

The Background of World Ankylosing Spondylitis Day

It is believed that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of Ankylosing Spondylitis. Most patients with A.S. have a specific human leukocyte antigen called the H.L.A.-B27 antigen, which triggers an autoimmune or autoinflammatory response. Symptoms, supported by medical imaging and blood tests, are typically used to diagnose this disease. Ankylosing Spondylitis cannot be treated. Treatments, such as medication, exercise, physical therapy, and, in rare instances, surgery, may alleviate symptoms and prevent their deterioration.

Ankylosing Spondylitis has existed for a very long time, as it was distinguished from Rheumatoid Arthritis by Aelius Galenus, also known as Galen, a Greek physician, surgeon, and philosopher in the Roman Empire. The skeletal remains of a 5,000-year-old Egyptian mummy were believed to contain evidence of the disease, but a subsequent report concluded that it was not A.S. In 1691, Bernard Connor published the first description of pathologic skeletal changes possibly related to the disease. In 1818, Benjamin Brodie was the first physician to record a patient with suspected active A.S.

In 1858, David Tucker published a pamphlet detailing the case of Leonard Trask, who suffered from severe spinal deformity as a result of Ankylosing Spondylitis. Due to its unambiguous description of the disease’s characteristics, it became the first case of A.S. to be documented in the United States. Vladimir Bekhterev of Russia in 1893, Adolph Strümpell of Germany in 1897, and Pierre Marie of France in 1898 all provided descriptions that allowed for an accurate prognosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis. Their surnames are now used as alternative names for Ankylosing Spondylitis.

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5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

A.S. tends to strike between the ages of 17 and 45, whereas other forms of arthritis typically manifest later in life.

It can induce a condition known as Uveitis, which manifests as severe eye pain, vision blurring, and sensitivity to light.

Men are twice as likely as women to develop ankylosing spondylitis.

When A.S. affects the upper portion of the neck, it can cause kyphosis, which is the medical term for a bowed back.

The severity of A.S. can be exacerbated by smoking.

WORLD ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2022	May 7	Saturday
2023	May 6	Saturday
2024	May 4	Saturday
2025	May 3	Saturday
2026	May 2	Saturday