general concerns, back and ligaments

[physiofixme]

Just a quick follow up regarding your comments about early arthritic changes on xray. Your xray was taken four years ago?? At the age of 24 that's very young to be showing arthritic changes in your spine. Did you ever have blood tests taken?? You didn't mention it so thought I would ask as a couple of conditions spring to mind - ankylosing spondylitis being one of them....do you know if your Dr has ruled this out?? The sorts of blood tests that are usual for this sort of thing are HLA B27 and rheumatoid factor. Might pay to have these things tested for before embarking on anything else as it may have an impact on your management.

[jchoffman]

Just a quick follow up regarding your comments about early arthritic changes on xray. Your xray was taken four years ago?? At the age of 24 that's very young to be showing arthritic changes in your spine. Did you ever have blood tests taken?? You didn't mention it so thought I would ask as a couple of conditions spring to mind - ankylosing spondylitis being one of them....do you know if your Dr has ruled this out?? The sorts of blood tests that are usual for this sort of thing are HLA B27 and rheumatoid factor. Might pay to have these things tested for before embarking on anything else as it may have an impact on your management.

hi there.

thanks for this. blood tests weren't taken at the time as they said i should just be aware of it but continue as normal. the dr at the time didn't see it necessary for blood tests at the time but said i should speak to my doctor after i've had follow up x rays done. i never realised that blood tests would be used to further confirm arthritis. i know arthritis does run through the family, as my cousin, daughter to my dad's sister so maybe not such a strong gene, has chronic arthritis. she's just a few years younger than me and has it in every single joint in her body. she can't walk up too many stairs, stay stationary for too long, etc. when i felt her back, it felt solid with just a few bumps here or there. i'm not sure if its rhematoid arthritis but its not oesteoarthritis (spelling???) as far as i know.