Raising awareness of axial spondyloarthritis

Karl Gaffney

A national campaign to raise awareness and speed up diagnosis of a form of inflammatory arthritis has been launched in partnership with our Trust.

The National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS) has launched Act On Axial SpA to increase public awareness of the condition and to drive down the eight year delay to diagnosis.

New research from NASS shows that 9 out of 10 people have never heard of axial spondyloarthritis, that’s despite more people living with it than MS and Parkinson’s combined, and 73% didn’t know that the disease starts when people are young.

The charity is urging everyone under the age of 45 who is living with persistent back pain to check whether they could have axial SpA and see their GP if they are experiencing symptoms.

Professor Karl Gaffney, NNUH Consultant Rheumatologist and medical lead for the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society’s Gold Standard Time to Diagnosis programme, said: “We are very proud of the services we offer AS patients in Norfolk and we are a flagship unit in the country with an international reputation.

“It is really important to raise awareness of this condition as an early diagnosis will enable people to lead happy, healthy and productive lives and reduce the risk of serious complications by allowing patients access to effective therapy.”

For more information, visit actonaxialspa.com