What is chronic illness?
A chronic illness is a medical condition that persists over a long period of time, often for the rest of a person's life. Some key features of chronic illnesses:
- Lasts a year or more: Chronic conditions are typically defined as lasting 1 year or longer. This sets them apart from acute illnesses or injuries, which resolve quicker.
- Ongoing symptoms: Chronic illnesses involve symptoms that recur, are constant, or fluctuate over time. There may be periods where symptoms worsen (flares) or improve (remissions).
- Requires ongoing management: Whether through medications, lifestyle changes, or medical care, chronic conditions require effort to manage - they do not typically resolve on their own. Proper management helps maintain quality of life.
Some examples of common chronic illnesses include:
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Chronic kidney disease
- Congestive heart failure
"Living with a chronic illness can be challenging, but with the right treatments and self-care, many people are able to manage their conditions and feel their best," said Dr. Smith of New Beginnings HRT Clinic. "We help patients optimize their hormone levels to alleviate symptoms."
Impacts of Chronic Illness
Chronic physical and mental illnesses can negatively impact:
- Overall health: Conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders increase risk for serious complications over time.
- Quality of life: Pain, fatigue, and disability can make self-care, work, relationships and activities difficult.
- Mental health: Coping with chronic illness increases rates of anxiety, depression and isolation.
"I teach my patients practical lifestyle techniques to lift their mood, reduce pain, and take back control," Dr. Smith emphasizes.
Managing Chronic Illness
Effective management requires:
- Working with providers: To create a tailored treatment plan, monitor progress, and adjust approaches as needed. This may involve a team of doctors, nurses, therapists and others.
- Making lifestyle changes: Improving diet, exercise, sleep and stress management.
- Taking medications correctly: To treat symptoms, slow disease progression, and reduce risk of complications.
- Pacing/planning activities: To balance rest and activity to avoid overexertion.
- Utilizing support systems: Friends, family, and support groups help reduce isolation and depression.
- Tracking/monitoring condition: Keeping detailed records allows you and your providers detect patterns and customize care.
Through compassionate, comprehensive care, New Beginnings HRT Clinic helps patients rewrite their health story. Call today to learn more."