Up to 1.5M Americans have lupus, an autoimmune condition that results in your immune system attacking the healthy tissue throughout your body, including your kidneys. The Houston Kidney Specialists Center’s skilled team offers quality kidney care for patients with lupus in Barker Cypress and North Houston area, TX. To schedule an initial consultation today, call the nearest Houston Kidney Specialists Center office or book online.
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What Is Lupus?
Lupus is an intricate autoimmune disease, which develops once your immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks the healthy tissue in your entire body. Lupus ranges in severity, causing remission and inflammation cycles and various symptoms, including pain, ulcers, headaches, fatigue, hair loss, fever, rash, and inflamed joints, eyes, and muscles. There are various forms of lupus, which attack different parts of your body. The prevailing symptoms vary according to the variant of the disease.
Once lupus attacks your kidneys, it sends antibodies to fight off the discovered threat, resulting in scarring and inflammation in the blood vessels that filter waste out of your blood, affecting your kidney function. Reduced kidney function results in debilitating and potentially dangerous symptoms.
What Are the Common Signs of Lupus-Related Kidney Dysfunction?
Some common signs of lupus-related kidney problems comprise edema, high blood pressure, blood in the urine, weight gain, and heightened protein levels in the urine. If you realize any of these symptoms, you should seek immediate medical assessment. Most health problems can result in similar symptoms; hence, it’s vital to get an accurate diagnosis for proper treatment.
How to Diagnose Lupus?
The expert team at Houston Kidney Specialists Center cross-checks your medical history, symptoms and discusses your lifestyle before completing the physical exam. Your provider requests urine tests to check for blood or heightened protein levels. They might also request blood tests to assess your cholesterol, protein, antinuclear antibodies, glomerular filtration rate, and antiphospholipid antibodies.
Aside from screening for lupus, your provider may also request tests to examine your kidney health. For instance, your provider may order a kidney biopsy to assess the signs of scarring or other damages.
What Are the Available Treatment Options for Lupus?
If your kidney dysfunction is caused by lupus, your provider offers treatments to manage lupus and enhance healthy kidney function. Everyone has their unique needs, but most treatment plans comprise one or more of the following:
- Immunosuppressive drugs.
- Diuretics.
- Corticosteroids.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE).
These medications tranquil your immune system, alleviate inflammation, and control your fluid retention and blood pressure. Besides, your provider may recommend dietary adjustments, such as reducing protein and sodium. Reducing consumption of these elements in your diet reduces the stress on your kidneys.
In conclusion, Houston Kidney Specialists Center is a state-of-the-art practice offering advanced diagnostic testing and treatment services. Patients across Texas can benefit from care, comfort, and relief from the team of trusted board-certified nephrologists. If you have lupus and seek expert care and monitoring for your kidney health, call Houston Kidney Specialists Center or use the online booking tool to request an appointment today.