Spring TX Psoriatic Arthritis Doctor Near Me

Are you searching “Spring TX psoriatic arthritis doctor near me?” Advanced Rheumatology of Houston has Dr. Brionez, who can help you with your condition. She is an experienced and friendly rheumatologist with more than ten years of experience. Rheumatology is the study of rheumatologic conditions, which affect the body’s connective tissue.

Connective tissues include joints, muscles, skin, ligaments, and sometimes bone. Rheumatologists give their best medical advice when it comes to these complex diseases. Above all, they want to help patients feel comfortable and overcome the illnesses affecting them. Dr. Brionez is a professional and caring rheumatologist that cares for a number of different patients with various conditions.

You can see the full list of conditions Dr. Brionez can diagnose and treat below.

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

Spring TX Psoriatic Arthritis Doctor Near Me

Dr. Brionez wants to help patients feel comfortable and pain-free.

Dr. Brionez has been in practice since 2009 when she became a board-certified rheumatologist. Two years prior, in 2007, she was board-certified in internal medicine. These qualifications and her extensive education have made her a professional in this field. Now, she wants to help patients live comfortable lives with the chronic conditions they have. Many patients with psoriatic arthritis experience many issues, so she wants to help.

What is Psoriatic Arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease that appears in those who have psoriasis or those who have relatives with psoriasis. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes patches of scaly, red patches. Psoriatic arthritis is also an autoimmune disease, but it is a disease of the joints. Autoimmune diseases appear when the immune system attacks healthy tissues in the body. A healthy immune system will attack foreign pathogens in the body, such as viruses or infections.

Psoriatic arthritis is linked to those with psoriasis, but there is no known cause. It is speculated for both illnesses that they derive from environmental factors and genetics. However, experts cannot be sure. With that said, rheumatologists know a lot about the disease. Psoriatic arthritis typically appears in larger joints, but may also appear in the hands, feet, and lower back.

Common symptoms of the disease include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. The severity of this disease ranges from mild to severe. It is recommended patients experiencing such symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible. As time goes on, the immune system takes a toll on joints, so rheumatologists will do their best to preserve the joints.

What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin. It appears as a red or white patch of scaly skin. Common areas these patches appear include the scalp, fingers, knees, and elbows. However, psoriasis can appear anywhere on the body. There are several types of psoriasis with different kinds of skin issues and appearances. Plaque psoriasis is the most common.

The cause of psoriasis is unknown, but researchers do know why the skin looks so scaly and irritated. T-Cells are used to eliminate foreign pathogens in the body. In psoriasis, these cells attack the skin and can sometimes promote cell growth. Skin cells begin to produce faster than they should. Typically, skin cells appear on the surface weeks after their production. Psoriasis causes skin cells to appear in just days.

Psoriasis appears as red, scaly skin.

The overproduction of skin cells causes there to be less room for all of them, and they begin to bunch up, causing the thick, scaly skin. Psoriasis treatment seeks to stop the overproduction of skin cells. Certain factors can trigger the disease to flare, such as stress, strep throat, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, injury to the skin, and certain medications.

Diagnosing and Treating Psoriatic Arthritis

In order to diagnose psoriatic arthritis, Dr. Brionez will examine the symptoms of patients. She will look closely at any swelling, stiffness, or painful joints. From there, she will take an X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound, or MRI in order to see if there is joint damage. Again, it is important to be diagnosed early in order to halt further joint damage. Finally, she may run a blood test in order to rule out other conditions that may be causing the problem.

Treatment for psoriatic arthritis varies in the case. Mild cases should see progress with therapy and over the counter painkillers such as ibuprofen or Aleve. Therapy helps reduce swelling, pain, and stiffness. Once these symptoms are alleviated, then they can stop therapy. More severe cases require aggressive medications that Dr. Brionez will prescribe.

There are several ways of treating psoriatic arthritis, but there are still 40 percent of patients who do not see adequate results. Fortunately, there are research studies that are testing new drugs in order to reduce that number. Advanced Rheumatology of Houston is excited to participate in a research study for psoriatic arthritis, and we need participants.

The KEEPsAKE Research Study

KEEPsAKE is a research study testing a new investigational drug. The drug may help reduce the number of patients that do not respond to current treatment options. The study lasts a little more than four years. The study splits participants into two groups of 420 people for 24 weeks.

See if you qualify for the research study by visiting our website.

If you are interested in participating in this research study, then give Advanced Rheumatology of Houston a call today. Patients may also see if they qualify on our psoriatic arthritis research page. Help us pave the way toward a new treatment option for current and future psoriatic arthritis patients.