When rest makes pain worse

In its profile of ankylosing spondylitis, and of a local patient, Gino Brancolino, the Melbourne Herald Sun focuses on the counterintuitive nature of the disease. Quoting a rheumatologist, Lionel Schachna:

"Most people present with what we call inflammatory back pain, which is different to the common type of back pain people get," Dr Schachna said.

"Inflammatory back pain is better with activity and worse with rest, as opposed to mechanical back pain which is better with rest and worse with activity.

"People will often experience pain early in the morning because they have been resting in bed in one position.

"Often people do wake up in the early hours of the morning, say 3am or 4am, with pain and stiffness and have to get out of bed to stretch or have a shower in order to gain some relief and get back to sleep."