Spring TX best lupus doctors near me

Don’t let lupus control your life. There is a way to get help.

Have you been searching for Spring TX best lupus doctors near me? Then you need to talk to Dr. Brionez. She is one of the best rheumatologists in the Houston area. With over ten years of experience in diagnosing and treating rheumatologic illnesses and participating in research studies, it’s no wonder. She cares about what is happening to her patients and strives to help them live a more comfortable and happy life.

Rheumatologic illnesses can disrupt a person’s life and cause pain and discomfort. This is why it is important to find a compassionate doctor who can help you find the right treatment. Dr. Brionez earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science from Texas A&M University. After that, she went to Baylor College of Medicine to receive her Doctor of Medicine. Then she went on to complete her Fellowship in Rheumatology at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

She became board-certified in 2007 for internal medicine and then became board-certified in 2009 in rheumatology. Ever since then, she has been in practice. If you are looking for a kind, compassionate doctor with ample experience, then you need to call Advanced Rheumatology of Houston. An appointment with Dr. Brionez will get you on the right track when it comes to living a healthy and fulfilling life. You wouldn’t regret choosing her to be your Spring TX best lupus doctors near me.

Continue reading to learn more about lupus, its symptoms, and the treatments.

Spring TX best lupus doctors near me

What Is Lupus?

Lupus is a nickname for systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. SLE is an autoimmune disease that affects women between puberty and early adulthood. This autoimmune disorder causes systemic inflammation of healthy tissues in multiple organs.

It can range from mild to severe and, in its mild forms, will affect the joints. In the more severe cases, it will affect the healthy tissues of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. If left untreated, lupus can drastically affect a person’s life and, over time, cause organ damage.

About twenty percent of the patients are children and teens. Although it is rare, some cases of lupus can develop in children under the age of five. This form of lupus is called childhood-onset SLE.

While the cause of lupus is unknown, there is still effective treatment available to those who struggle with the disease. There are many symptoms of lupus, and they vary from person to person. Lupus can be challenging to diagnose for doctors because of how the symptoms aren’t specific to lupus, and they don’t appear all at once. Some of the non-specific symptoms are:

fever
weight loss
blood clots
hair loss
poor circulation in fingers and toes
heartburn
fatigue
stomach pain

While these symptoms could lead to nearly any disease, The American College of Rheumatology has come up with a list of lupus symptoms. This list helps doctors to diagnose lupus better and know how to treat it. Some of the symptoms on this list are:

Rashes

When it comes to lupus, there are a few different types of rashes you could have. You could have discoid rashes, malar rashes, or rashes from sun exposure. Discoid rashes are red raised circular patches, while malar rashes are butterfly-shapes rashes on the cheeks. Lupus can cause sun sensitivity, which can cause rashes on the skin that is exposed to the sun.

Mouth Sores

These are sores in the mouth or nose that last between a few days to a month.

Arthritis

This is known as a disease of the joints. Arthritis will cause tenderness and swelling in two or more joints that will last for a few weeks. A rheumatologist can treat other forms of arthritis. These other forms are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. If you are struggling with arthritis from lupus or in general, a rheumatologist can diagnose and treat your arthritis.

Lung or Heart Inflammation

This causes chest pain when you breathe in deeply. The medical terms for inflammation of the heart and lungs are pericarditis (heart) and pleurisy or pleuritis (lungs).

Kidney Problems

The way to catch kidney problems is to have your doctor run tests that will show your kidney function. If the results show poor kidney function, then you will know you have kidney problems. Another way to test is to have a urine analysis where the doctor will see that there is blood or protein in your urine. This shows a possible kidney problem.

Neurologic Problems

Neurological problems can be seizures, psychosis, or strokes.

Abnormal Blood Tests

Doctors will look for abnormalities such as anemia, low white blood cell counts, and low platelets. An abnormality that is common among nearly all lupus patients is positive antinuclear antibodies. These antibodies are what cause your immune system to attack itself and your body. Other abnormalities that your doctor could find are anti-double-strand DNA, antiphospholipid antibodies, and anti-Smith.

It is possible to live a comfortable life with lupus.

Because lupus can vary from patient to patient and the symptoms don’t appear all at once, blood tests are usually the way to go. The most important blood test to run for lupus patients is an ANA. So, while it can be tricky to diagnose, it isn’t impossible. However, this is why it is important to have a Spring TX best lupus doctors near me, so you know your doctor knows what they are looking for.

Getting Treatment

Since lupus is a chronic illness, there is no cure for it at this time. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an effective treatment. Treatments for lupus have been known to improve quality of life and increase a patient’s lifespan. The primary goal of treatment is to keep lupus in remission to prevent permanent organ damage.

Lupus is known to have periods of activity followed by periods of inactivity. These periods of inactivity are when symptoms are at their lowest. This is called remission, and the longer it stays in remission, the more normal a patient’s life can be.

Treatment for lupus is typically medication. Some of the medications available for lupus are:

Plaquenil
Corticosteroids and immune suppressants
NSAIDs
Benlysta

Talk with your doctor about what treatment plan will work best with your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor will strive to limit side effects while also making sure that the treatment is keeping lupus under control. Finding a Spring TX best lupus doctors near me that is willing to work with you is essential in living a comfortable life. This is why you should choose Dr. Brionez.