Services
Services
Our skilled and dedicated medical staff works to provide the very best in clinical care
Treatments for all rheumatic conditions
At Rheumatology Care of North Houston, we diagnose and treat a wide variety of rheumatic conditions, many of which cause debilitating pain and disruptive symptoms. These symptoms often impede daily life considerably and have a tremendous quality-of-life impact on patients. Because they often mimic other conditions, rheumatic diseases also prove challenging to diagnose. This struggle to reach an accurate diagnosis further delays effective and appropriate treatment. Rheumatologists are trained to isolate and identify symptoms that often seem unrelated, arriving at diagnoses which allow for successful long-term treatment of challenging, chronic health conditions.
How Rheumatic Diseases are Treated
A personalized treatment plan is vital for patients suffering from immunologic or rheumatic conditions, which are known for being difficult to diagnose and treat. At Rheumatology Care of North Houston, we offer leading edge treatments for a wide range of conditions, but we focus on arriving at the right diagnosis first through diligent assessment. We work carefully with our patients to discuss the risks and benefits of emerging and established treatments alike to create a personalized plan centered around long-term health management goals.
While there is no cure for many rheumatic conditions, there are treatments that considerably mitigate their effects for a large number of patients. During the first appointment, your rheumatologist will explain which treatments, if any, have been proven effective to combat progression. A combination of oral and intravenous medications, injections and physical therapy may be part of your larger treatment plan, depending on your unique condition, stage of progression and other factors.
When Should I See a Rheumatologist
Joint pain on an occasional basis is a universal experience, but when the pain doesn’t resolve or becomes worse instead of improving, it’s time to find the source. Often, patients are referred to a rheumatologist after a consultation with their primary care provider, who suspects an underlying rheumatic condition due to the patient’s described symptoms. Because these conditions do tend to run in families, your family medical history can prompt your primary care provider to direct you to a rheumatologist if you exhibit certain symptoms.
You don’t have to wait for a referral if you feel you need to be evaluated by a rheumatologist, though. You can call our office directly to schedule an appointment with no long wait times; often, same-day appointments are available. Most autoimmune conditions cause debilitating symptoms and pain, so expedience in treatment is important. Early diagnosis and treatment set the stage for long-term management, but treatment also helps to prevent further joint damage. If chronic pain caused by a rheumatic condition goes untreated, the joint damage sustained can be irreversible.
Conditions We Treat
We treat a vast array of conditions at Rheumatology Care of North Houston. These services include but are not limited to:
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Bursitis
Back Pain
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Gout
Lupus
Myopathies
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Reactive Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Scleroderma
Sjogren Syndrome
Tendonitis
Vasculitis
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Bursitis
Back Pain
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Gout
Lupus
Myopathies
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Reactive Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Scleroderma
Sjogren Syndrome
Tendonitis
Vasculitis
We’ll work with you to determine the source of your symptoms to arrive at an accurate diagnosis,
then create a plan for treating all of these conditions and more.
What to Expect from Your First Rheumatology Appointment
Sometimes, the aches and pains you brush off as everyday soreness are signs of something much more complex. The extensive and focused training doctors complete to become rheumatologists make them uniquely qualified to identify the root cause of chronic pain. Still, pinpointing a diagnosis requires a lot of information, and this process is the foundation of a personalized care plan.
During your first appointment, describe all your symptoms in as much detail as possible. Try to remember when your symptoms started, and if they were triggered by a specific event. The initial appointment usually centers around a conversation about your symptoms and current quality of life, including many questions. Some of these questions may even seem unrelated to your complaints, but when a condition involves multiple systems of the body, they can cause a broad range of symptoms. Early treatment is important, but the first appointment will focus on information gathering, ordering tests and working to find a diagnosis so your rheumatologist knows what to treat.
On-Site Treatment for Rheumatic Diseases
Infusion therapy can be life-changing for patients with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, lupus and many other rheumatic diseases, but the intravenous treatment is often done in a hospital setting. Many insurance companies refuse to pay the additional costs associated with infusion therapy in a hospital, but do cover the same treatment in a doctor’s office setting.
Our on-site infusion therapy room allows patients living with many chronic conditions to obtain effective treatment, which is covered by their insurance provider. We also perform joint aspiration and injection procedures on-site, minimizing travel and appointment times for our patients. Many of our patients find our comfortable infusion suite to be a far better alternative to hospital and outpatient center facilities, as well as a more cost-effective option.
Personalized Autoimmune Disorder Treatment
At Rheumatology Care of North Houston, we know each patient requires a tailored care plan in order to reach their health management goals. Whether we’re working toward possible remission or to mitigate the effects of a chronic condition, your treatment must be personalized to your needs.
When your doctor suggests it might be time for a rheumatologist, or if you’re suffering from chronic pain which does not improve, call us today at Rheumatology Care of North Houston. Our compassionate and caring staff work to restore quality of life, mitigate the effects of chronic illness and prevent worsening symptoms through specialized, targeted treatment plans. Together, we can start working toward reaching your health care goals. Don’t let chronic pain become the cause of permanent and irreversible damage to your joints. Let us help you slow the progression of degenerative conditions, reduce pain and potentially reach remission with personalized, compassionate and dedicated care.