Are you wondering if there’s a Conroe TX rheumatoid arthritis dr near me? If you’ve been experiencing joint pain and stiffness, contact Advanced Rheumatology of Houston to schedule an appointment with Dr. Brionez. Although what might seem like minor pain may be the early symptoms of a serious autoimmune disorder like rheumatoid arthritis. The sooner you seek help, the better your chances of controlling the symptoms of your disease.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects not only the joints but other body systems as well, including the blood vessels, heart, eyes, lungs.  Classified as an autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis occurs because your body’s immune system mistakenly believes your body’s cells are actually foreign bodies and attacks to fight them off.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of the joints, causing pain and swelling that, if left untreated, can eventually lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. This inflammation can affect other parts of the body as well.

How do you contract rheumatoid arthritis?  Unfortunately, doctors don’t know the exact causes of rheumatoid arthritis, though genetics may be involved. While rheumatoid arthritis isn’t a genetic condition, doctors still believe genetic factors could make certain individuals more susceptible than others to the viral or bacterial infections that can trigger an autoimmune disorder like rheumatoid arthritis.

Risk Factors That Could Lead To Rheumatoid Arthritis 

The factors that could potentially increase a person’s risk for rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Sex – Women are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than men
• Age – Rheumatoid arthritis most commonly develops during middle age (between ages 40 and 60) but can occur at any age.
• Family history – Your family history can place you at more risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
• Obesity – Overweight people, particularly women, appear to be more at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than those with more healthy weights.
• Smoking – Smoking not only increases the risks of developing rheumatoid arthritis but also increases the severity of the disease’s symptoms.
• Environmental factors – It’s thought that exposure to substances such as asbestos or silica may increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Do You Think You May Have Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Do you think the pain you’ve been experiencing might be due to rheumatoid arthritis? Early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Tender, warm, or swollen joints
• Stiffness in the joints is especially worse in the mornings or after periods of inactivity.
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Loss of Appetite

In its early stages, rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the smaller joints – such as those of the fingers and toes -first.

As the condition progresses, the stiffness and pain can spread to the knees, ankles, wrists, elbows, shoulders, and hips. It’s not unusual for the symptoms to occur in the same joints on both sides of the body.

Nearly 40 percent of the people stricken with rheumatoid arthritis also exhibit signs and symptoms that don’t involve the joints. Some of the body’s non-joint structures that can be affected by rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Eyes
• Skin
• Heart
• Kidneys
• Lungs
• Blood vessels
• Nerve tissue
• Salivary glands
• Bone marrow

Unfortunately, the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can vary in severity and may come and go. “Flares” – periods do increased disease activity, alternate with periods of remission. During these periods of remission, the swelling and pain can diminish or even disappear.

Complications from Rheumatoid arthritis can include:

• Dry eyes and mouth
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Heart Problems
• Infections
• Osteoporosis
• Lung Disease
• Lymphoma
• Rheumatoid nodules
• Abnormal fat to lean mass body composition

Schedule an Appointment With a Conroe TX rheumatoid arthritis dr near me

If you are experiencing joint pain, stiffness, or other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, schedule an appointment with a Conroe TX rheumatoid arthritis dr near me. Diagnosing and treating arthritis in its earliest stages is an especially effective way of controlling your disease.

Although accurately diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis in its earliest stages can be difficult its signs and symptoms are the same as those of other diseases. Also, Blood tests and imaging tests are a few of the methods available for accurately diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis.

If your physician believes you may be developing rheumatoid arthritis, they may refer you to a specialist like Dr. Brionez of Advanced Rheumatology of Houston. This is because they have extensive experience in diagnosing and treating rheumatic musculoskeletal disease and systemic autoimmune conditions for further diagnosis and treatment.

Rheumatology is the study of rheumatism and diseases associated with joints, muscles, and other ligaments. Also, rheumatologists like Dr. Brionez specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of these autoimmune conditions. In addition to rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Brionez also diagnoses other autoimmune disorders, including:

• Gout
• Myositis
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica
• Psoriatic Arthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Scleroderma
• Sjögren’s Syndrome
• Spondyloarthropathies
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus)
• Vasculitis

Advanced Rheumatology of Houston with Tamar F. Brionez, M.D., CCD