Early accurate diagnosis and therapy may minimize years of pain and disability. The areas of the body where inflammation is most likely to develop are the central parts of the skeleton, i.e. the spine and pelvis. The major symptoms are pain and stiffness. The pain is usually first felt in the low back, but may eventually be present throughout the whole spine. In a number of patients, however, spondylitis starts and progresses differently.
Some people feel pain with little or no stiffening.
In others, the disease also affects peripheral joints such as the shoulders, hips and knees. The early symptoms in women may present differently than in men. Some women feel the pain and stiffness in the neck rather than the lower back. It can appear as the initial presentation of the disease years before any joints become inflamed. Early Warning Signs - Onset of pain before the age of 35 years.