LUPUS: Women at Risk – 10 TIMES as much as men!

The scientific name is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, usually referred to as “lupus”; however, it is often called “The Great Imitator” because of the multiple symptoms that present in the patient.  Men do contract lupus, but more women are susceptible.  Patients may have skin rashes and arthritis as well as fatigue and fever, and most aggravating, the attacks can alternate between periods of activity and when the disease remains dormant.  Lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease, affects the joints, kidneys, and skin; plus, – unfortunately, if not treated – lupus can be fatal.

According to the American College of Rheumatology:

• Lupus usually develops in people in their 20s and 30s, and often tends towards blacks and Asians (although Caucasians are also affected).
• Treatment depends on the symptoms and their severity.
• Because it is a complex disease, lupus requires treatment by a rheumatologist and the patient’s active participation in working towards good health.

Patients with lupus typically experience:

• Fever, fatigue, and weight loss 
• Arthritis lasting for several weeks in multiple joints 
• Butterfly-shaped rash over the cheeks or other rashes 
• Skin rash appearing in areas exposed to the sun 
• Sores in the mouth or nose lasting for more than a month 
• Loss of hair, sometimes in spots or around the hairline 
• Seizures, strokes, and mental disorders (depression) 
• Blood clots 
• Miscarriages
• Blood or protein in the urine or tests that suggest poor kidney function 
• Low blood counts (anemia, low white blood cells, or low platelets)

So what causes Lupus?  No one really knows for sure.  Scientists have theorized that people are actually born with the genes to develop lupus, and that something “triggers” the disease.  However, other causes should not be ignored like a combination of genetics/heredity, environment, and hormones.

Once there is a diagnosis … is there help?  YES!  After 50 years, the FDA has recently approved a new drug for lupus that is administered through an infusion.  At The Arthritis & Infusion Center, we provide the medication as well as a comfortable environment in which to rest during the application of the medication.

Remember this:  Patients with lupus can expect to live normal lives.  However, Dr. Hulon Crayton must carefully monitor and treat the disease … and … YOU are equally as important to the treatment process.  We listen, but you decide on what medical road you choose to travel.  Just know: we are here for you.  And remember:  “Pain is not normal.  Let us help.”

The Arthritis & Infusion Center Announces Association with Darr McKeown, M.D., Radiologist

Dr. Hulon Crayton, Medical Director and owner of The Arthritis & Infusion Center, is very

pleased to announce the association with Darr McKeown, MD, Radiologist.

“I chose to work with Dr. McKeown because he is highly technical, thorough, and in my opinion is, hands down, the best in his field in the Southeast United States,” said Dr. Crayton. “I know if he gives me his professional opinion on a diagnosis, it is official.”

Darr McKeown, M.D. was raised in the Atlanta area. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Oglethorpe University and received his M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia. He completed his residency at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah and returned to Atlanta to begin private practice in 1986. He is Board Certified and licensed to practice in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. Dr. McKeown often lectures on the differences between X-ray and MRI.

Drs. Crayton and McKeown have been friends, and professional colleagues, since 1999.  The following Q&A with Dr. McKeown explains the significance of this new partnering of services:

Why are your services so critical to the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and other connective-tissue disorders?

“Dr. Crayton bases his diagnosis and treatment plans on the discoveries I make with certain abnormalities found in MRI or ultrasound exams. There are new and improved treatments for arthritis all the time, and Dr. Crayton stays current on these options; however, without a specific diagnosis, he doesn’t know if the condition is a food allergy, sprain, or a true arthritis,” said Dr. McKeown. “If my diagnosis is arthritis, this condition will require strong medications that can be effective in slowing, or curing, some types of this disease.  However, without knowing which arthritis you are dealing with, it’s like taking your car to the mechanic without anything being checked under the hood to find out what is wrong.”

With current technology, it is no longer necessary for a radiologist to be in the immediate area to read X-rays or MRIs. How is this information transmitted between you and Dr. Crayton?

“With our advanced technology, we can push images across the street or around the world.  This digital equipment allows doctors to partner with specialists who don’t have to be geographically situated nearby,” explained Dr. McKeown. “In fact, many doctors in Northwest Florida use my services because my many years of experience allow me to know exactly what they need, and I have a reputation for very detailed analysis of the exams.  I focus on the precise diagnosis and tell the physician what he wants to know, narrowing all the options to help them make an educated decision on treatment.”

Dr. Crayton uses both MRIs as well as musculoskeletal ultrasounds. What are the advantages of ultrasounds?

 

The important things for the lay person to remember are that ultrasounds are:

1) Cost effective

2) Significantly cheaper than an MRI or CAT scan

3) Quick, easy, and totally painless

“Radiologists are at the mercy of the expertise of the ultrasound tech, but Dr. Crayton’s technologist is highly credentialed, so I know the patients are getting a thorough reading,” said Dr. McKeown. “Plus, there is no heat, pressure, or radiation with ultrasounds. MRIs do not use radiation either, but this option is not very comfortable, is very expensive, not to mention time consuming; however, sometimes, it is the physician’s only option due to herniations or tears of tendons, etc. Ultrasounds, on the other hand, can be performed right in the office, to monitor the progress of treatment, and without any waiting times.”

Regardless of the choice in technology – MRIs or Ultrasounds – the expertise offered by Drs. Crayton and McKeown provide patients with confidence in knowing the exam is going to be done well.  Dr. Crayton has built a team of experts within his practice to ensure exemplary care combined with compassion.  Remember:  “Pain is not normal.  We can help.”

Spread the Warmth END 2013

The Spread the Warmth Initiative ended on March 31^st, but not before we received a large shipment of blankets that were so very special, they were wrapped in red ribbons!

Dr. Hulon Crayton and the staff at The Arthritis & Infusion Center decided that the Children’s Home Society of Florida would be our recipients this past winter season.

“We never seem to have enough blankets to go around since our kids need to stay warm, may be in transient, and must take their belongings with them. We are so very grateful to Dr. Crayton for this donation,” said Ms. Felicia Robinson Cook, Director of Development for CHS.

And who could possibly have known that March would have been one of our coldest months in recent history? We would like to thank everyone who donated blankets to this worthwhile cause. We have already chosen our recipient for next year’s “Spread the Warmth” campaign, which will start in November of next year, so “stay tuned” as to how you can participate!

Communicating with your physician – THE most important component in your health care involves just two steps!

#1 – KNOW your physician:

Dr. Hulon Crayton has been practicing Rheumatology since 1990, which makes him the most experienced, longest tenured, Rheumatologist in this region. In addition, he is Board Certified in Rheumatology, has maintained his licenses in good standing with all state licensing boards, and also completed his Master’s Degree in Hospital Administration, which makes him specially qualified to run The Arthritis & Infusion Center.  (* See additional information below.)

#2 – Communicate honestly with the physician you trust!

Most important, Dr. Crayton maintains there is no such thing as “cookie-cutter medicine”:  “I have learned over the years that what works for one patient may not work for others. If some medicine, or treatment plan, doesn’t work; or, if there are side effects, patients need to TELL me!”

There are no lab tests or x-rays that can show pain. “And, I’m not Bill Clinton in that I can’t ‘feel your pain’,” said Dr. Crayton with his usual humor. “Some patients tend to try to be stoic and push through the pain. I’d rather they open up about what’s really going on in their body. Communication with a doctor is THE most important component of good health care.”

“I really care about how my patients are doing under my treatment plans, but all too often they don’t want to complain. I wish they’d drop their politeness! When I ask how a patient is doing, ‘feeling fine’ is a reflex answer. The face a patient displays to the world is one thing, but I need to know what’s really going on, physically and emotionally, to provide the utmost in medical care.”

Teamwork is very important for doctor-to-patient and doctor-to-doctor relationships, and Dr. Crayton has a proven reputation of really listening to his patients in order to help them, and their families, cope with the changes rheumatic diseases may cause in their lives.

Some rheumatic diseases are very serious and can be hard to diagnose and treat, which is why it is very important to choose a rheumatologist who has the most experience in the region for treating rheumatic disease … and that person is Dr. Hulon Crayton! No referral is necessary. Learn more about Dr. Crayton at drcrayton.net.

·        Additional footnote information about Dr. Crayton:

What is a Rheumatologist?

A Rheumatologist is an internist who received further training in the diagnosis/detection and treatment of arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases. Also called “rheumatic” diseases, these conditions affect the joints, muscles, and bones. Rheumatologists treat arthritis, certain autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal pain, and osteoporosis. There are more than 100 rheumatic conditions, to include (but not limited to): Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and tendinitis.

Why Choose Dr. Crayton?

In addition to his four (4) years of medical school, three (3) years of residency, and (2) years of fellowship training, Dr. Crayton has been practicing his specialty for almost a quarter of a century!  During that time, Dr. Crayton has compiled extensive training, and experience, in the successful treatment of his patients. Dr. Crayton has a commitment to life-long learning and frequently completes appropriate continuing-education courses.

 

Dr. Crayton is a much sought-after consultant who advises other doctors about a particular diagnosis and treatment plan. In other cases, Dr. Crayton acts as a manager of infusions needed by the patients of other physicians.

Meet our Team – Nurse Hillary Chaffer

At The Arthritis & Infusion Center, we take great pride in building a team of dedicated professionals. Hillary Chaffer is one such staff member, who has her LPN license and is continuing her nursing education at Gulf Coast State College.

When interviewed, Hillary shared her thoughts on the importance of the services provided by Dr. Hulon Crayton: “The majority of people we see every day are in pain. I enjoy watching the process of prevention, holding off the deterioration of their body and joints. It is so rewarding to watch patients become absolutely transformed from walking stooped over to not even requiring surgery for their disability,” said Ms. Chaffer. “I also love helping people learn about their ailments, from providing the availability of networking groups, which help in coping with their conditions, to providing tangible things they can do, with diet and exercise, to help offset the ravages of their disease.”

 Hillary Chaffer, LPN

 
Ms. Chaffer’s career track took her from nursing home care, where she could only dispense medications, to working for Dr. Crayton, where she gets a lot more satisfaction by taking an active role in the oversight and care of people suffering from arthritis and other Rheumatologic or connective-tissue diseases.

When asked to answer the question – Who is Hillary? She thought a moment before responding – “I can remember as a young child, we had to write adjectives that spelled out our names, and showed who we were as a person.  For ‘H’, I wrote ‘hilarious’; ‘I’ was for ‘inventive’; and for the first ‘L’, I wrote ‘laughing’, but I don’t remember the rest. I’d say I’m kind of like an onion on ‘Shrek’, where you peel back numerous layers.” Then, she broke out in even more laughter at comparing herself to “Shrek”.

But life isn’t always light hearted for Ms. Chaffer. She often provides a type of personal hospice service to animals who have been turned over to shelters due to their serious illnesses, and owners not able to pay for the medicines and treatment. Hillary does get a lot of joy from her marriage and her avocation as a Certified Feline Groomer.

Staff often refers to Hillary’s “upbeat and caring” personality, so important in a team environment, and Dr. Crayton has said he cannot imagine a person better suited to help care for his patients.  Hillary, and Dr. Crayton, would like to remind you:  “Pain is not normal. We can help.”  Contact the practice to see what makes their entire team so very special. 

Are Rheumatologists pain management doctors?

First of all, it’s important to understand what both doctors do – specifically.

According to The American College of Rheumatology, a Rheumatologist is an internist who received further training in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases, which affect the joints, muscles, and bones. In addition to arthritis, they treat certain autoimmune diseases (when the body comes under attack by its own immune system), musculoskeletal pain, and osteoporosis. There are other conditions they treat to include:  rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and tendinitis to name just a few.

On the other hand, a Pain Management doctor is someone who is an authority on managing pain in their field, which may include neurology, anesthesiology, or even psychiatry.

When you feel you need pain management, your first call should be to your primary care physician, who will assess which specialist would be right for your condition. In addition, you should only seek pain management for chronic pain that focuses on your ability, or inability, to function in daily living activities. Remember:  some pain medicines may be addictive.

Dr. Hulon Crayton is a board certified Rheumatologist and owner of The Arthritis & Infusion Center. Within his practice, it sometimes becomes necessary to prescribe pain medications for certain specific conditions; however, Dr. Crayton does refer patients to pain management specialists if needed. Dr. Crayton always tells his patients:  “Pain is not normal! We can help.” You can ask your primary-care physician to refer you to Dr. Crayton; or, if your insurance allows, you can self-refer to our practice.