What are the symptoms to be alerted to the possibility of ankylosing spondylitis?

  Young and middle-aged men, especially adolescent men, should seek prompt medical attention for the following symptoms: (1) Persistent or intermittent low back pain with stiffness, unrelieved by rest and relieved by activity.  (2) Unilateral or symmetrical pain in the hip or inner thigh, without any obvious history of trauma or sprain.  (3) Recurrent episodes of heel nodal swelling and pain or heel pain. Xie Baozhao, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Wuzhou Workers’ Hospital (4) Low back pain and/or arthralgia with recurrent episodes of iritis.  (5) No cough and other respiratory symptoms, chest pain and girdling sensation without history of trauma, and limited thoracic movement.  (6) Spinal pain, stiffness, and even limited movement function without any obvious history of trauma or sprain.