Conroe TX Doctors Who Treat Lupus Near Me

Are you searching “Conroe TX doctors who treat lupus near me?” Advanced Rheumatology of Houston should be your go-to clinic for lupus. Our very own rheumatologist, Dr. Brionez, is very knowledgable and professional in the field. She has more than ten years of experience in rheumatology.

Dr. Brionez started her medical career by obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences from Texas A&M University. After graduating, she secured her Doctor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Brionez also completed her Fellowship in Rheumatology at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

Dr. Brionez will work closely with patients to find the right treatment option for them.

Then, in 2007, she became board-certified in internal medicine. Two years later, Dr. Brionez became a board-certified rheumatologist. Since 2009, Dr. Brionez has been in practice. She has helped all kinds of people with rheumatologic conditions. These conditions cause inflammation in connective tissues of the body. Joints are the most common, but ligaments, organs, and bones may also be affected.

Lupus is just one of many rheumatologic diseases. Dr. Brionez also diagnoses and treats arthritis, myositis, vasculitis, and more. Her medical advice for all of these diseases are informative and backed with the most updated treatment techniques. Patients can find the full list of conditions she can diagnose and treat below.

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

Details Over Lupus

Each of the diseases listed above are complex in their own way. Lupus is no exception. There is no known cause for lupus, but rheumatologists do know a lot about the disease. Firstly, lupus is an autoimmune disorder or disease. Autoimmune diseases are described as when the immune system attacks healthy tissue in the body. If you know what the immune system is, then you know it fights off infections, bacteria, and viruses in the body. So, when it attacks healthy tissue, inflammation, and other complications occur.

Secondly, lupus has a lot of levels of seriousness. Lupus can be very mild, or it may be very serious. It all varies from case to case. Moreover, no two lupus cases are ever the same. Dr. Brionez will approach patients’ with lupus differently depending on their symptoms and severity. Speaking of symptoms, lupus has all kinds. In fact, lupus has symptoms related to several other diseases and illnesses.

Finally, lupus can appear in anyone. Lupus does appear in certain demographics more than others. More specifically, African Americans and Asians are more affected by the disease. In addition to these demographics, 20 percent of children or teens are lupus patients. Females going through puberty are more prone to the disease. In general, females are ten times more likely to develop lupus.

Lupus Symptoms and Diagnosis

As mentioned earlier, lupus as several symptoms similar to other diseases. For this reason, it is difficult to diagnose the disease. Fortunately, Dr. Brionez will examine the symptoms and run the necessary tests in order to provide an accurate diagnosis. If patients are experiencing symptoms like fever, fatigue, or weight loss, then lupus is not the first to be considered. You can find the full list of symptoms below.

Fever
Fatigue
Heartburn
Weight Loss
Hair loss
Blood clots
Stomach pain
Chest pain when breathing deeply
Rashes
Cold toes or fingers
Mouth or nose sores
Sore or swollen joints (arthritis)
Kidney problems
Neurologic conditions
Pregnant women may have miscarriages

Symptoms of Lupus

If Dr. Brionez suspects the patient has lupus or it is a contender for the symptom causes, then she will run a series of blood tests. The most important test is what is known as an ANA test. ANA tests detect antinuclear antibodies in the body. Their presence is what causes the attacks from the immune system and are present in almost every lupus patient. If the ANA test is positive, then the patient will be diagnosed with lupus.

Lupus Treatment

There is no cure for lupus, so treatment focuses on suppressing the immune system and treating the symptoms. Antimalarial drugs are recommended for all lupus patients as it treats a handful of symptoms really well. In the past, these drugs were used to prevent and treat malaria. Now, they treat fatigue, lupus-related arthritis, rashes, and mouth sores. Flare-ups may also be prevented with this medication.

Serious cases of lupus affect the lungs, kidneys, heart, and brain. In the case of these issues, corticosteroids are used to suppress the immune system. Some corticosteroids may also reduce pain in patients. Finally, mild cases of lupus find biologics as an effective drug. The FDA approved Benlysta in 2011, which was the first drug approved for lupus since 1955.

Treatment is also paired with lifestyle changes for patients. There are steps patients can take in order to improve the quality of their life and reduce symptoms of lupus. One important aspect lupus patients should have in mind is lupus increases the risk of kidney and heart disease. So, rheumatologists suggest regular exercise and eating healthily is important.

Exercise will also help patients adjust to their lupus-related arthritis. Furthermore, patients with lupus should avoid excess sunlight. Sunlight can cause flares in rashes and the diseases itself. So, leave the house with a hat, sunglasses, long-sleeve shirt, and pants. If it is hot, wear plenty of sunscreens or take an umbrella. Finally, keep a good relationship with Dr. Brionez. Schedule frequent appointments so she can keep a close eye on your illness. Be sure to notify her of any changes or problems that may arise.