What should I ask at my axial spondyloarthritis appointment?

Axial spondyloarthritis, which some people still call ankylosing spondylitis, is often talked about in terms of pain, stiffness, tiredness and sleep, so a short note on each can help. It can be useful to write down how long stiffness lasts after waking, whether pain wakes you at night, and how movement and rest affect it. Two or three questions, most important first, are usually enough. It is worth asking about exercise and physiotherapy, and what to do if things change before you are seen again.

Worth noting down

  • How long stiffness lasts after you wake up.
  • Whether pain wakes you in the night, and roughly when.
  • How movement, exercise and rest affect it.
  • Where you feel it: lower back, buttocks, neck, or other joints.
  • Tiredness, and how it affects work and plans.
  • Any eye, skin or bowel problems, even if they seem unrelated.

Questions you could ask

  • How will we know whether what we are doing is working?
  • Could I be referred to a physiotherapist, or to a group exercise class?
  • Do any of my medicines need regular checks, and who arranges them?
  • What should I do if things get worse before my next appointment?
  • Is there a nurse or advice line I can contact?

If things change quickly

  • If you have a painful red eye or changes in your vision, you do not need to wait for your appointment. Contact your GP, an urgent eye service or NHS 111 the same day.

My axial SpA appointment

  • Morning stiffness: how long it lasts
  • Night pain: whether it wakes me
  • What movement and rest do
  • Where I feel it
  • Tiredness, and what it affects
  • Anything else, even if it seems unrelated
  • My top question, first
Make my one-page summary

The summary takes a couple of minutes, needs no account, and nothing is saved.

About the condition itself

Written by Mark Dunbavan, founder of Noori. Last reviewed 8 October 2026.

Noori keeps a record of your symptoms between appointments, so this summary can fill itself in, and can introduce you to a UK-registered nutritionist who works with people with joint pain. About NooriSee who is taking clients