Dear Pixel
As you can see by all the posts, the "its all in your head" thing is a sore spot for a lot of people besides yourself.
I am a Wife-of-AS, and I know perfectly well when I look at my husband what pain level he's at, in spite of him being one of those 'there's nothing the matter with me' macho guys. The problem with rheumatic diseases is that there are no obvious outward signs, until much later on.
A few years ago, one of the KA members was thinking of inventing a machine, which when hooked up to your doctor or rheumatologist, would copy the level and location of pain he was currently having. He thought this would be enlightening and speed up his treatment. Maybe you could borrow it, when completed for your relatives??
All joking aside, welcome to KA. It is a village for AS people and those who love them, with births and deaths, weddings and divorces. And most of all, lots of support. Ask any question you want, there is no such thing as a dumb question. There are people of all professions and from lots of countries all over the world.
take care of yourself, thats the main thing BlueNorthern
