What do you need to know about chronic diseases?

According to the CDC, 60% of US adults have been diagnosed with a type of chronic disease and are living with one, amounting to trillions of dollars in health care costs each year. While these diseases are often life-threatening, the risk of developing them can be reduced by making healthier lifestyle choices.

In this article, we provide you some useful information about chronic diseases that help you have a better understanding of them. 

What are chronic diseases?

Conditions that continue more than a year and restrict daily activities or medical treatment are generally referred to as chronic diseases. 

Chronic diseases in the United States of America, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, rank among the top reasons for death and disability. They account for around $3.8 trillion of the nation’s annual health care spending.

A handful of risky activities account for a large percentage of chronic diseases:

• Exposure to secondhand smoke and tobacco usage
• An inadequate diet, with minimal fruit and vegetable intake and high salt and saturated fats.
• Lack of exercise or physical activity 
• Alcohol abuse

Major Chronic Diseases

1. Heart Disease and Stroke
2. Cancer
3. Diabetes

Major Risk Factors

1. Tobacco Use
2. Poor Nutrition
3. Lack of exercise
4. Alcohol abuse 

About chronic illness

A chronic or long-term sickness necessitates a reevaluation of one’s life to accommodate the needs of the illness and the methods of treatment being employed. There may be added stress, as people with chronic illnesses often experience a change in their lifestyles, the way they see themselves, and how they relate to other people. 

Characteristics of a chronic illness

Chronic diseases are frequently characterized by:

• A variety of complex factors and causes
• A lot of risk factors
• Long wait times (time between the start of the illness and feeling its impacts)
• An extended illness
• Physical or mental disability

Chronic illnesses are notoriously difficult to treat, and even when they are managed, there is no guarantee of a full recovery. Heart disease and stroke are two examples of fatal diseases that can develop promptly. People with diabetes, for example, must have close medical supervision. For many disorders, including arthritis, the disease will continue for the rest of a person’s life, albeit it may not be fatal.

What are common chronic illnesses?

The following health conditions are the Common chronic illnesses:

1. Cardiovascular (heart) disease
2. Stroke
3. Lung cancer
4. Bowel (colorectal) cancer
5. Depression
6. Type 2 diabetes 
7. Arthritis
8. Osteoporosis
9. Asthma
10. COPD is known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
11. Chronic kidney illness
12. Oral disease

Ways to deal with the common stresses of chronic illness

Chronic illness that continues or a long-term disease comes with its unique challenges. You should be taught how to:

• Endure the illness’s physical consequences
• Cope with the treatments 
• Ensure that your health care is informed and you have clear communication with each other 
• Avoid becoming overwhelmed by unpleasant emotions
• Remain confident and optimistic
• Additional demands of chronic illness

To deal with the stress of having a chronic disease, you must also:

1. Recognize the condition
2. Understand the treatment and its associated therapies
3. Keep trust and confidence in the doctors. 
4. Know how to keep symptoms in check
5. Remain in touch with friends and family and a solid support network when dealing with a medical issue that could affect one’s long-term prospects or when symptoms develop.
6. Do not isolate yourself socially. 

How to help people suffering from chronic illness?

With a chronic disease, you have to deal with its stress, which puts a lot of pressure on you. To avoid burnout, you should discuss your concerns and how you are coping with the condition and its treatment with your doctor or other healthcare practitioners.

Ways to cope with chronic illness

There are a variety of solutions to the stress of chronic disease. These include: 

• Obtaining information- it’s helpful if you feel helpless or powerless.
• Family and friends can provide emotional support, which can be a big help.
• Be part of a well-organized support group.
• Restore certainty, power, and control with specific, short-term goals 
• Using the doctor as a counselor for your thoughts about future outcomes — for whatever may happen — helps you prepare for what may occur.

The main purpose of these approaches is to assist context your disease and provide meaning to what is happening.

Children with a chronic illness

Government, religious, and independent schools provide opportunities for students with chronic diseases. If your child has a chronic illness, approach your school principal to discuss a support plan for your child and the programs and financial aid they may be eligible for.

Where to get help

The following groups or centers can help you with chronic diseases:

• Your GP (doctor)
• The school your child attends
• Support groups

Let’s sum up…

The Southern Nevada Family Medicine can provide you assistance in chronic diseases and counseling sessions. We can provide you a plan to deal with chronic patients and guide you on the ways to live with one. Also, we provide various physical tests, vaccination, and exams that can help you along the way along. 

Give us a call at +702-843-6629to know more about the services and counseling.