Chronic Disease Management Specialist

What chronic diseases are the most common?

A chronic illness or injury is one that lasts longer than three months, or well beyond the time the condition normally takes to heal. Chronic diseases also last a long time — for the rest of your life — and they have another defining quality: Once they’re diagnosed, they’re usually not curable.

You can prevent a chronic condition if it’s identified and treated at an early stage. But once you have full-blown disease, it can’t be cured; it can only be managed to help you stay healthy.

These are a few of the most common chronic diseases:

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Hyperlipidemia
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic diseases are progressive conditions that continue to get worse without diligent care.

What symptoms develop due to chronic diseases?

Chronic diseases slowly worsen over the years, and during that time they don’t cause symptoms. You only experience problems after the condition has caused significant damage inside your body. For many patients, the first sign is a serious problem like chest pain or a heart attack.

What increases my risk of developing a chronic disease?

The most significant risk factors involve lifestyle choices. Your chances of a chronic disease increase if you:

• Eat an unhealthy diet
• Don’t exercise
• Gain weight
• Drink excessive alcohol
• Smoke cigarettes
• Endure constant stress

You can prevent chronic diseases if your lifestyle reflects the opposite behaviors. For example, eating a nutrient-rich diet, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and stopping smoking will go a long way toward avoiding chronic diseases.

What is chronic disease management?

Chronic disease management is a plan to keep your health condition well-controlled. To manage Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, for example, you must keep your blood sugar and cholesterol within a normal range.

Disease management plans always begin by changing your diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. If your chronic disease is still in an early stage, lifestyle changes may be the only treatment you need.

However, if your chronic health condition is in an advanced stage, or lifestyle changes don’t help, then you may need medication.

If you’d like an assessment to determine your risk for chronic disease, or you need ongoing management of a condition that’s already diagnosed, call Midwest Regional Health Services or schedule an appointment online.