Sometimes your body can mistake your blood vessels for intruders and attack them, leading to inflammation. Vasculitis is standard, but you ought to catch it early to improve your chances of effectively managing the autoimmune condition. If you develop suspicious symptoms, vasculitis specialists like Devaraj Munikrishnappa, M.D can help you rule out or diagnose the condition. Additionally, you must educate yourself about common signs that will tell you if you have vasculitis. Remember that the diagnosis process begins with experiencing the symptoms and making an appointment with your doctor. Here is more about vasculitis diagnosis.
You Need to Watch for Symptoms
As mentioned earlier, you can effectively manage vasculitis when the symptoms are caught early. Therefore, you have to be alert to the common symptoms so that you can seek help in advance. You need to pay attention to fevers you might experience and call your doctor if your fever gets over 39 degrees Celsius. Also, notice headaches or other forms of pain as vasculitis can cause pain in different parts of your body. Specifically, you might experience joint pain depending on the type of vasculitis you have. Additionally, watch out for weight loss, appetite loss, fatigue, and tiredness over a few days or weeks.
Do Not Hesitate to Make an Appointment
If you are experiencing symptoms, contact your doctor as soon as possible to get an accurate expert diagnosis. While some symptoms like shortness of breath need urgent care, ensure you explain adequately how you feel for your doctor to understand how to direct you as you get ready for your appointment. Remember that it might be challenging to diagnose the condition independently since most symptoms are common to other health complications. But you must make a list of all the symptoms you are experiencing.
A Physical Exam is Crucial
Your doctor might recommend a physical exam to start with your vasculitis diagnosis. This can include a blood pressure test since high blood pressure can indicate the type of vasculitis. Your doctor will tell if your condition affects your kidneys before proceeding with other tests. Other tests might include urine tests to help your doctor look for unusual levels of proteins and blood cells in your urine. Therefore, it would help not to visit the bathroom for a vasculitis diagnosis.
Blood Tests are Common
You can expect to give blood in your doctor’s office as part of a vasculitis diagnosis. Your doctor will draw your blood for blood tests and run complete counts. They will look for inflammation signs in your blood to see if you have vasculitis. Also, they will check if you have enough red blood cells and investigate some antibodies that could indicate the type of vasculitis you have.
Your doctor can also carry out a blood culture to evaluate your kidney function and look for other complications like hepatitis and Lyme disease.
Imaging Tests and Other Diagnostics can be Employed
As you seek a vasculitis diagnosis, you can expect one or more biopsies to be sure about your symptoms. Your doctor will request a specific type of biopsy depending on the type of vasculitis they think you might have. You can also be ready for x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, ultrasound, and PET scans. Your doctor can also recommend nerve conduction studies in addition to other studies.
Several tests are involved in diagnosing vasculitis. Reach out to Houston Kidney Specialists Center and book your appointment. Your provider will help you understand the relevant bests for your unique case and help you define your symptoms.
