It sounds like getting a clear diagnosis has been a frustrating journey — and you're definitely not alone in that experience. Many MySpondylitisTeam members have shared similar stories of being told they had spinal conditions before eventually receiving a spondylitis diagnosis.
Some members have reported being told they Show Full Answer
It sounds like getting a clear diagnosis has been a frustrating journey — and you're definitely not alone in that experience. Many MySpondylitisTeam members have shared similar stories of being told they had spinal conditions before eventually receiving a spondylitis diagnosis.
Some members have reported being told they had conditions like degenerative disc disease, muscle strain, or osteoarthritis before finally getting the right answer. In fact, more than 4 in 10 members surveyed reported being told they had degenerative disc disease or muscle-related issues before their spondylitis was identified. One MySpondylitisTeam member shared that they were diagnosed with spondylosis rather than spondylitis, and it took over a year just to get a referral to a specialist — only for an MRI to later reveal fused vertebrae and disc damage.
If there's any doubt about your diagnosis, it may be worth asking for a referral to a rheumatologist, who specializes in inflammatory conditions like spondylitis. A few key steps that can help include:
- Requesting imaging like an MRI of the sacroiliac joints
- Asking about a blood test for the HLA-B27 gene
- Keeping a detailed record of your symptoms to share with specialists
Getting the right diagnosis matters, because spondylitis and osteoarthritis are managed very differently.
April 28
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