Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and related forms of spondyloarthritis (SpA) are, as a group, as common as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Their presenting clinical manifestations are wide-ranging and heterogeneous, and the patients end up seeing a variety of medical and surgical health care professionals before they get diagnosed. Early diagnosis and effective management can mitigate the severity of the disease, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of these patients.