Spring TX Best Rheumatologist for Lupus

Are you searching “Spring TX best rheumatologist for lupus?” Dr. Brionez is the sole rheumatologist at Advanced Rheumatology of Houston. She cares deeply about her patients and will provide them with her medical advice for lupus. Lupus is a complex disease and often scares patients when they are diagnosed.

Dr. Brionez will work closely with patients in order to get them feeling comfortable about their disease. She can diagnose and treat a variety of rheumatologic conditions such as psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, myositis, gout, lupus, and more. These conditions are just a few examples of what Dr. Brionez can help patients with.

Dr. Brionez has worked with numerous patients.

When it comes to lupus, the disease is very complex compared to others. In general, all diseases are complex, but lupus is different from other diseases. Lupus is one of a few different autoimmune diseases. We know enough of lupus to help patients overcome the disease and live long and happy lives.

A rheumatologist can do more than just treat arthritis. Dr. Brionez goes above and beyond when it comes to treating patients. She covers all the bases and does her best to make patients feel heard. If you have lupus or you suspect to have a rheumatologic condition, then schedule an appointment today.

Autoimmune Diseases and Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means the immune system is attacking healthy parts of the body. A normal immune system targets bacteria, infections, and other harmful pathogens. There is no known cause of lupus, which adds to its complexity. Lupus also affects many portions of the body, like the joints, skin, and organs. The lungs, kidneys, heart, and brain are the most common organs affected.

Since lupus affects many areas in the body, it displays various symptoms similar to other diseases. Symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and weight loss are not exclusive to lupus. That said, lupus is hard to diagnose. However, Dr. Brionez knows the right techniques and tests in order to diagnose properly. Below, you can find the full list of symptoms lupus may portray.

Fever
Fatigue
Heartburn
Blood clots
Weight loss
Hair loss
Rashes
Stomach pain
Chest pain with deep breathing
Cold toes or fingers
Arthritis
Kidney problems
Neurologic problems
Pregnant women may have miscarriages

Lupus has a larger impact on a person’s health. Due to it affecting the heart and kidneys, it increases the chances of disease. Kidney and heart disease have increased chances of appearing in lupus patients. For that reason, patients need to take the right step in reducing the risk of these diseases. Firstly, patients should know the symptoms of kidney disease. High blood pressure, puffy eyes, swollen feet or hands, and changes in urine are what patients should watch.

Talk to your doctor about how to manage the symptoms of lupus.

For heart disease, patients should exercise regularly. The exercise will also help manage lupus-related arthritis. Eating healthy will also help reduce the chances of heart disease. Finally, patients that smoke should quit. Overall, smoking is bad for your health, but it will worsen if patients have lupus.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Even though lupus displays several different symptoms, Dr. Brionez will carefully examine them. She will look over the symptoms and decide what steps to take afterward. Other diseases will be ruled out as possibilities first. If Dr. Brionez believes lupus may be the case, then she will run a series of blood tests. The important test for lupus is an ANA test.

The ANA test detects antinuclear antibodies in the body. These antibodies are present in almost all lupus patients. They are the cause of the immune system attacks on healthy patients. If a patient’s test comes back positive, then they will be diagnosed with lupus. Dr. Brionez will run further tests in order to identify antibodies specifically linked to lupus.

Once there is a lupus diagnosis, Dr. Brionez will start a treatment plan. Unfortunately, there is no cure for lupus. There are various medications lupus patients can benefit from, but it varies on the severity of the case. Antimalarial drugs are given to all patients, while corticosteroids are given to severe cases.

Antimalarial drugs were once used to fight off malarial, but are now used to treat symptoms of lupus. Rashes, fatigue, and mouth sores benefit from these drugs. Flares may also be prevented from these medications. More serious conditions of lupus require corticosteroids, which are used to suppress the immune system. In some cases, corticosteroids reduce pain in patients.

More recent drug developments are known as biologics. These drugs are used for more mild cases of lupus. The biologic Beylysta was FDA approved in 2011; first lupus approved drugs since 1955. Even though there are many medications for lupus patients, there are still many people who do not respond to treatments. Thankfully, there are research studies testing new treatment options, and Advanced Rheumatology of Houston is happy to participate.

SLE-BRAVE

See if you qualify for SLE-BRAVE by visit the lupus research page.

Advanced Rheumatology of Houston is taking part in the SLE-BRAVE research study. The aim of the research is to test a new investigational drug and lupus therapy alongside it. Paired together, this new treatment may help those who do not respond to current lupus treatments.

SLE-BRAVE will last about 62 weeks (14 months) and split participants into two groups. One group will receive the drug while the other will receive a placebo. This is a double-blind study to the participant, and the doctor does not, which is which. Interested patients should visit the lupus research page on the Advanced Rheumatology of Houston website.