If you are searching for Spring TX doctors who treat lupus near me, then you need to check out Advanced Rheumatology of Houston. When you are facing a rheumatologic illness, you want to know that there is someone there for you. Dr. Brionez has ten plus years of experience in diagnosing and treating rheumatologic diseases. She also has extensive experience in research studies. So, you can trust you are in good hands when you set up an appointment with her.

Before she started her practice, she received a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences from Texas A&M. She then went on to Baylor College of Medicine and earned her Doctor of Medicine. After that, she completed her Fellowship in Rheumatology at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Then in 2007, she became board certified for internal medicine, and then in 2009, she was board certified in rheumatology. Ever since then, she has been in practice.

Dr. Brionez has patients that love how she is kind and compassionate. When you go to her, she cares about what is happening to you and strives to help you have a healthier and more comfortable life. Living with lupus can be challenging; this is why it is important to find a doctor that cares.

You won’t regret choosing Dr. Brionez to be your Spring TX doctors who treat lupus near me. Continue reading to learn a little more about lupus, its treatment, and its symptoms.

What is Lupus?

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that causes systemic inflammation. This inflammation can affect the joints or vital organs, depending on the severity of the case. In severe cases, lupus can affect the kidneys, brain, heart, and lungs. You can also have a more mild case that only affects the joints. However, no matter the severity of the case, lupus is painful and can cause disruptions to your daily life.

Lupus is short for systemic lupus erythematosus, and its acronym is SLE. This autoimmune disease is more common in women than it is in men, and twenty percent of patients are children and teens. A rare form of lupus called childhood-onset SLE affects children under the age of five.

While lupus is known to cause damage to organs and is a chronic disease, there is treatment available. Those who live with lupus can live comfortable and fulfilling lives thanks to treatments. There is no known cause of lupus, and there isn’t a cure yet. But treatment is effective in improving the quality of life of lupus patients as well as increasing lifespan.

Lupus can be tricky to diagnose because symptoms can vary between patients, and they don’t come all at once. Some of the symptoms aren’t specific to lupus, which can also make it tricky to diagnose. These symptoms include:

• fever
• fatigue
• hair loss
• blood clots
• stomach pain
• heartburn
• weight loss
• poor circulation in extremities

While these symptoms aren’t very identifiable, The American College of Rheumatology has created a list of symptoms for lupus. This list helps doctors more easily diagnose lupus. The symptoms on this list are:

Rashes

There are a couple of rashes you could get with lupus. You could get a malar rash, discoid rash, or rashes from sun exposure. malar rashes are butterfly-shaped rashes on the cheeks while discoid rashes are red raised circular patches. Rashes from sun exposure are caused because lupus can flare-up due to sunlight. So, on any skin that is exposed to the sun, a rash could appear.

Mouth Sores

These sores can appear in the nose or mouth and will last anywhere from a few days to a month.

Arthritis

This is known as a disease of the joints and causes tenderness and swelling in two or more joints. Arthritis will last a few weeks and can be a sign of lupus. Different types of arthritis can happen without the development of lupus. Some of these types are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. If you are dealing with arthritis that is or isn’t from lupus contact Advanced Rheumatology of Houston. They can help diagnose and treat your arthritis.

Lung or Heart Inflammation

Lung or heart inflammation will cause chest pain when you breathe deeply. There are medical names for the inflammation of the heart and lungs. Inflammation of the heart is pericarditis, and inflammation of the lungs is pleurisy or pleuritis.

Kidney Problems

There are a few ways that a doctor can find that you have kidney problems. They can usually find kidney problems through tests that will show your kidney function. If those tests return showing poor kidney function, then there is a definite problem. You can also get a urine analysis that will show how your system is running. If your urine has blood or protein in it, then there is a chance that you could have a kidney problem.

Neurologic Problems

A neurologic problem can be anything having to do with the nervous system. Some of these problems can include seizures, strokes, or psychosis.

Abnormal Blood Tests

Blood tests are usually the way that doctors diagnose lupus. They will look for abnormalities such as anemia, low platelets, or low white blood cell counts. A common abnormality among lupus patients is positive antinuclear antibodies. These antibodies are what cause your immune system to attack itself. There are other abnormalities that you could face, such as anti-double-strand DNA, anti-Smith, and antiphospholipid antibodies.

Since lupus can vary from patient to patient, and the symptoms don’t appear all at once, it can be challenging to diagnose. However, doctors will often turn to blood tests, most importantly, ANA, to find that it is, in fact, lupus. So, even though it can be difficult to diagnose, it isn’t impossible. But this is why it is important to have Spring TX doctors who treat lupus near me. They can diagnose and treat your condition and get you back to enjoying life again.

Treatment and Living With Lupus

Because lupus is a chronic illness, that means that there is no cure at this time. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to live in pain. Today, treatments are better than ever. Those who struggle with lupus can live longer, more comfortable lives. The goal of treatment is to make sure that lupus remains in remission and prevents permanent organ damage.

It is possible to live with lupus. The more you learn about the disease and its treatments, the better you will be able to manage the symptoms. Treatment for lupus commonly comes in the form of medication. Some of these medications include:

• NSAIDs
• Corticosteroids and immune suppressants
• Benlysta
• Plaquenil

Your doctor will work to find a treatment that will work for your symptoms and medical history. They will also expect you to come in often for a check-up so they can keep track of your condition. That way, if you need your medication adjusted, they will be on top of it. Choosing Dr. Bionez as your Spring TX doctors who treat lupus near me will provide you with the help you need to live a normal life.

The Best Spring TX doctors who treat lupus near me

To set up an appointment with Dr. Brionez call (281) 766-7886. You can also learn more about her practice by checking out her services and by coming to visit Advanced Rheumatology of Houston’s location. Get back to doing what you love. Choose Advanced Rheumatology of Houston to be your Spring TX doctors who treat lupus near me.

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