Vasculitis Specialist

What is vasculitis?

Vasculitis refers to a group of conditions causing inflammation of your blood vessels. There are many types of vasculitis, some of which produce inflammation of larger blood vessels like your aorta and others that cause inflammation of capillaries or tiny blood vessels. Your symptoms and complications depend on the type that you have. 

In some cases, vasculitis can result in a lack of blood flow to the tissue. When this happens, the tissue starts to die. Often, the symptoms of vasculitis occur from dead or dying tissue in some areas of your body. 

What causes vasculitis?

Vasculitis is a disease associated with your immune system. In most vasculitis cases, the inflammation occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your blood vessel walls, much like an allergic reaction. 

Sometimes, vasculitis begins as a side effect of a medication. It can also stem from an illness or infection, like hepatitis B or hepatitis C. 

What are the symptoms of vasculitis?

The symptoms of vasculitis vary widely among people with the condition. Your symptoms depend on the area of your body that vasculitis affects because of its impact on your blood flow. Some possible vasculitis symptoms are:

• Fatigue
• Weakness or numbness
• Rashes
• Abdominal pain
• Joint pain
• Shortness of breath
• Ulcers

Some types of vasculitis can quickly worsen quickly, so you should book an appointment with Dr. Farheen as soon as you notice something unusual. 

What are my options for vasculitis treatment?

Dr. Farheen determines the best treatment strategy for your vasculitis based on your type of vasculitis. 

As part of your vasculitis management plan, the team might recommend:

Glucocorticoids 

Glucocorticoids, or steroids, reduce inflammation in your blood vessels. Your dosage and the length of time you’ll need to take them depend on your condition’s severity. 

Immunosuppressants

Immunosuppressants help control the immune reaction causing your vasculitis. Usually, they treat more serious forms of vasculitis, and the long-term side effects are less severe than glucocorticoids. 

In the most severe cases, vasculitis can cause extensive organ damage. In this instance, Dr. Farheen discusses surgical options.

To learn more about vasculitis and find an effective treatment, call Kiran Farheen, MD, or book an appointment online today.