Enjoy life again by getting the proper diagnosis and treatment.

You may not know much rheumatology, so we recommend you read on for more details on rheumatologists and what we do.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis (R.A.), you should see a rheumatologist in Houston, TX, on a regular basis. Scheduled visits will give both of you the ability to control the progression of the disease, recognize causes, change medications on time, and chart symptoms. At this point, we may also make some dietary changes.

Reasons To See Your Rheumatologist in Houston, TX

Below are seven reasons you call and schedule an appointment with your rheumatologist sooner rather than later.

1) You’re Experiencing A Flare

Whenever anyone has a flare-up of R.A., they should make an office appointment as soon as possible. If the swelling of the condition flares up, the issue becomes more than painful. It could mean permanent injury or deformity of the joint.

Everyone with rheumatoid arthritis has specific symptoms that could flare up. Over time, when you visit the doctor periodically through flares, the two of you will decide the right methods for care.

2) Experiencing Pain Somewhere New

R.A. strikes the joints and cause redness, pain, and swelling. However, it can also induce pain in the neck and elsewhere. With rheuamtoid arthritis, autoimmune malfunction could attack your eyes and mouth tissues and cause blood vessel inflammation. Luckily, it is rare that R.A. targets the tissue surrounding the heart and lungs.

When your eyes or mouth swells and becomes irritated, or you get a skin rash, your rheumatoid arthritis may be expanding. You should make an appointment with your rheumatologist rigt away.

3) Changes In Your Insurance

With all the changes in health insurance coverage, it can be difficult to know what you have. If you have not had a lapse in your coverage, many private insurance policies still cover your preexisting condition.

Treatment is only a phone call away. So, call today.

Despite the unpredictable health landscape, try to hold your regular appointments and consider check in more often with your provider to show continuity of care.

4) Your Sleeping and Eating Habits Change

When you have rheumatoid arthritis, it may be hard to get a full night’s sleep. For damaged joints, a new sleeping posture could help. You might wake up with joint pain or in sweats. Any R.A. medications could affect your appetite, resulting in weight gain or weight loss.

Schedule an appointment with your rheumatologist in Houston, TX. If you are sleeping less or eating strange They can determine whether changes in sleep and eating link to some of the more devious symptoms of R.A., like depression and anxiety. Your doctor will talk to you concerning any lifestyle changes and medications that can benefit you.

5) Side Effects

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic medications (DMARDs), and biologics are the most widely used medicines for rheumatoid arthritis. Also, such treatments change many people’s lives with R.A.

However, they can have side effects. Several adverse effects of NSAIDs include heartburn, edema, and neck pain. Corticosteroids, on the other hand, could increase your appetite, blood sugar, and cholesterol, resulting in weight gain. And then, DMARDs and biologics interfere with your immune system and could result in inflammations like(psoriasis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis. If you experience side effects like these from your R.A. medication, immediately see your doctor.

6) Treatments Do Not Work Like Before

Rheumatoid arthritis is recurrent and could become progressive. Although people continue taking R.A. medications, as time goes on, such therapies may need to be expanded.

Make an appointment with your rheumatologist if the prescribed medication does not provide you the help you need.

7) New Symptom

People with R.A. may notice changes in their symptoms. This could reflect a significant change in the rheumatological disorder.

Even people with R.A. that were deemed unlikely to develop gout, another autoimmune disorder, can have have it come up later. Patients with gout may also develop kidney stones. If you experience a new symptom not directly linked to R.A., ask your rheumatologist about it.

In Conclusion

You can meet our entire professional care team. See your “rheumy” routinely, so you have no doubts and see improvements in your health. Do not hesitate to contact Dr. Brionez.

Tamar F. Brionez, M.D., CCD