Spondyloarthritis is an umbrella term for inflammatory diseases that involve both the joints and the enthuses. he most common of these diseases is ankylosing spondylitis. Others include reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and enteropathic arthritis, which is associated with the inflammatory bowel disease. Spondyloarthritis, in most cases, primarily affects the spine. Some forms can affect the peripheral joints -- those in the hands, feet, arms and legs.

Spondyloarthritis has two main symptom patterns. For most people, the first and predominant symptom is low back pain. If not controlled, spinal involvement can progress, resulting in fusion of the vertebrae and limiting the spine's mobility. Less commonly, the main symptom is swelling in the arms and legs. This is referred to as peripheral spondyloarthritis. Joint inflammation often comes and goes and is accompanied by fatigue. Other problems can occur along with spondyloarthritis, including osteoporosis, pain and redness of the eye, inflammation of the aortic heart valve, intestinal inflammation and the skin disease psoriasis.