My dad has had AS for as long as I can remember. He has dealt with the pain and stiffness of his spine, finding very little relief. With the advancement of diet and exercise in terms of a form a medicine, he has turned to alternatives to medication. The HLA-B27 gene (and marker for this disease) has recently been found in my own blood. 7% of the population have this gene but only 1% develop AS, however my risk is 6 times higher since my father does have the disease. So far, I have only had a handful of painfully stiff days; mostly in my hips.
