Preparing questions in advance can help patients have more meaningful discussions with their physicians regarding their conditions. Patients may wish to ask their doctor the following questions about ankylosing spondylitis (AS):

1. Do my symptoms suggest AS?
   
   
2. Is it true that blood tests can help reveal my risk level for AS?
   
   
3. What other tests for AS might I need to undergo, and what do they involve?
   
   
4. What do my test results show?
   
   
5. What areas of my body can AS affect?
   
   
6. Could I also have a condition related to AS, such as psoriatic arthritis, Reiter's syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease?
   
   
7. What are my treatment options?
   
   
8. Which medications do you recommend? What are their risks and benefits?
   
   
9. Do you suggest physical therapy, hydrotherapy, thermotherapy or similar treatments?
   
   
10. Does my prognosis improve if treatments are started early?
    
    
11. Could surgery become necessary to treat my AS?
    
    
12. Are there things I can do to prevent AS or its complications?