I Have Been Diagnosed With Anklysois Spondelitis An Have Terrible Rib Spasms, Hard To Swallow Food, Hard To Breathe, And A Eye That Gets Red And Sore What Kind Of Doctor Should I See?

Posted on Thu, 23 Mar 2023

Question: I have been diagnosed with anklysois spondelitis an have terrible rib spasms, hard to swallow food, hard to breathe, and a eye that gets red and sore. The winter is worse but it affecting me today when it is 85 outside. Weather changes really bother me in the wnter. What kind of doctor should I see. I have a family doctor, but she is not helping me get to the bottom of all the pain I have.

Answered by Dr. Malik (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Ankylosing spondylitis is treated by a rheumatologist

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune condition that affects joints of the spine. It may also affect the joints where the ribs and spine meet causing difficulties and pain with chest wall movement - the symptoms that you are experiencing. Ankylosing spondylitis may also cause eye inflammation.

Ankylosing spondylitis is treated by a rheumatologist.
The treatment is mostly with NSAIDs (the medicine you are likely taking) and physical therapy. If the disease does not respond to NSAIDs or a patient experience side effects from NSAIDs, a different kind of medicines called TNF alpha inhibitors are prescribed.

Please, talk to your family doctor and ask her to refer you to a rheumatologist.

I hope the above information will be helpful to you. Please, feel free to ask me if there is anything else you need to know.

Thank you

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D