Connect with others who understand.

Sign up Log in
Resources
About MySpondylitisTeam
Powered By
See answer

Spondylitis – The Path to Diagnosis

Medically reviewed by Ariel D. Teitel, M.D., M.B.A.
Written by Kelly Crumrin
Updated on July 20, 2021

Diagnosis | Age and Spondylitis Development

Spondylitis is typically diagnosed and treated by a rheumatologist — a specialist in autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases. However, most people with chronic (lasting for at least three months) low back pain go first to their primary care physician for help. Spondylitis is often misdiagnosed, or diagnosis is delayed — especially when spondylitis symptoms are mild.

Many primary care doctors lack awareness or understanding of spondylitis and may miss the signs. In one study, it took an average of 307 days between the general physician diagnosing back pain and referral to a rheumatologist. Misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis can delay treatment and allow spondylitis to progress, causing damage to joints.

How Is Spondylitis Diagnosed?

There is no one test that is conclusive for a diagnosis of spondylitis. Spondylitis is generally diagnosed through a combination of a physical examination, family history, blood tests, and imaging scans. The rheumatologist carefully considers many different test results before concluding that spondylitis is the correct diagnosis or ruling it out.

Different types of spondylitis are diagnosed in slightly different ways. Some types, such as psoriatic arthritis and enteropathic arthritis, may develop in people with established diagnoses of, respectively, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Women with spondylitis are at risk of being misdiagnosed.
Here’s what you should know.

Physical Exam and Family History

Typically, the rheumatologist will start by examining your joints to check for tenderness, swelling, redness, warmth, and symmetry — whether symptoms appear on the same joints on both sides of the body. Range of motion, mobility limitations, and associated pain will also be assessed. You may also be asked about the history of your symptoms as well as family medical history with spondylitis or other autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.

Imaging

Diagnosis may also involve blood tests or imaging procedures such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Scans allow the doctor to check for joint damage during diagnosis, and later measure how the disease progresses over time.

Lab Tests

Although no lab test is conclusive for spondylitis, blood test results provide important clues that make a spondylitis diagnosis seem more likely or help rule it out.

Blood tests can check overall levels of inflammation by examining erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, or sed rate) and C-reactive protein (CRP). At elevated levels, both ESR and CRP are considered signs of inflammation and can indicate whether spondylitis or another inflammatory condition is likely.

Blood can be tested for the presence of a specific gene, HLA-B27, which is present in many people with spondylitis. The presence of HLA-B27 increases the likelihood of spondylitis, especially in people of European descent.

At What Age Does Spondylitis Start To Develop?

Spondylitis most commonly develops before age 45, with most people experiencing their earliest symptoms in their 20s or 30s.

Condition Guide

Updated on July 20, 2021

A MySpondylitisTeam Member

Is there in Specialist in West Virginia

February 1, 2023
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.

You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

Subscribe now to ask your question, get answers, and stay up to date on the latest articles.

Get updates directly to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Ariel D. Teitel, M.D., M.B.A. is the clinical associate professor of medicine at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Learn more about him here.
Kelly Crumrin is a senior editor at MyHealthTeam and leads the creation of content that educates and empowers people with chronic illnesses. Learn more about her here.

Recent Articles

If you frequently experience chest pain with spondylitis, you’re not alone.

Chest Pain and Spondylitis: Is It Costochondritis?

If you frequently experience chest pain with spondylitis, you’re not alone.
Spondylitis is a form of chronic inflammatory arthritis.

Slurred Speech in Spondylitis: Pinched Nerve and 6 Other Causes

Spondylitis is a form of chronic inflammatory arthritis.
People who live with an inflammatory condition like spondylitis can have a number of different sy...

Top 5 Most Common Spondylitis Symptoms Reported by MySpondylitisTeam Members

People who live with an inflammatory condition like spondylitis can have a number of different sy...
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of chronic inflammatory arthritis. In ankylosing spondyliti...

Foot and Heel Pain With Ankylosing Spondylitis: 5 Ways To Relieve Enthesitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of chronic inflammatory arthritis. In ankylosing spondyliti...
MyHealthTeam does not provide health services, and if you need help, we’d strongly encourage you ...

Crisis Resources

MyHealthTeam does not provide health services, and if you need help, we’d strongly encourage you ...
MySpondylitisTeam surveyed members about how symptoms affect their lives and how they feel about ...

How Spondyloarthritis Symptoms and Treatments Affect Lives

MySpondylitisTeam surveyed members about how symptoms affect their lives and how they feel about ...

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more: