Chronic disease is a phrase that carries a hidden threat. In modern conditions, it is difficult to find an adult and even a child who has no history of such a diagnosis. What are the features of chronic diseases, when they carry a serious danger, and how to prevent their appearance, we will try to understand in more detail.
What is a chronic disease?
The specificity of chronic diseases is hidden in the very term, derived from the Greek word "chronos" - "time". Diseases, the course of which takes a long time, and the symptoms cannot be completely and completely treated, are considered chronic.
Doctors most often distinguish acute and chronic diseases, depending on the clinical picture. The acute form is often characterized by high temperature and pronounced pain syndrome. Treatment in this case is urgent. Chronic diseases require an integrated approach, both in examination and in treatment.
Most often, the goal of treating chronic diseases is not to achieve a complete cure, but to reduce the frequency of exacerbations and a longer period of remission.
Features of the course of chronic diseases
Regardless of the area of damage, several features characteristic of the course of diseases in a chronic form can be distinguished.
- Acute onset of the disease. The main symptoms are pronounced, the general condition of the patient worsens significantly.
- Periods of remission, which in the initial stages can be perceived by the patient as a cure. After the first “cures”, the symptoms of the disease return, but the clinical picture may not be as bright as at the beginning of the disease.
- Smoothing symptoms. At the beginning of a chronic disease, the patient can clearly determine the onset of relapse or the period of remission of the disease. Over time, these clearly expressed stages of the disease smooth out: relapses may not go too sharply, or, conversely, the disease continues to bother during remission.
Chronic disease is far from a sentence. It requires a more careful attitude to your health and a certain correction of lifestyle.
How is the diagnosis carried out?
It is possible to diagnose chronic diseases with the help of an examination with a doctor who prescribes appropriate tests and diagnostic methods.
Chronic human diseases can develop rapidly and are the result of improper or untimely treatment of acute infection. In this case, the attending physician can immediately pay attention that the patient’s condition does not improve and the disease takes a chronic form.
Another option for the development of a chronic disease has the following picture. Dysfunction of any organ or organ system does not cause noticeable discomfort to the patient. The condition worsens gradually over a long period of time. Diagnose the presence of a chronic form to the doctor can help the history of the disease. A chronic disease as a diagnosis can only be established after studying the entire clinical picture.
The most common chronic diseases
The modern ecological situation and not very high-quality food products lead to the fact that few can boast of the absence of chronic ailments. They worry someone more, someone less, but almost everyone has a similar history.
Depending on the cause of chronic diseases and the severity of their course, supportive and restraining therapy is selected. Most often, chronic forms are found in the following diseases:
- Various forms of dermatitis (psoriasis, eczema, neurodermatitis).
- Pyelonephritis.
- Cholecystitis.
- Gastric or duodenal ulcer.
- Heart failure.
- Vascular disease.
Such diseases most often cannot be completely cured and require constant restrictions and supportive therapy from patients throughout their lives.
Do children get sick?
Chronic disease is a type of disease for the diagnosis of which it is necessary to monitor the patient's condition for a rather long period of time.
When it comes to young children, talking about long-term monitoring of the course of the disease is impossible. The only exception is congenital malformations in the work of organs that affect the development and health of the child.
But even in this case, the prognosis for young patients is always more optimistic than for adults. Chronic diseases of children have one feature - it is highly likely that the baby will simply "outgrow" the disease. Children's organs are often immature and cannot fully perform their functions. Over time, the functioning of the body systems normalizes, and even chronic diseases can recede.
Chronic disease treatment
Chronic diseases are not a reason not to go to the doctor, even knowing that it is almost impossible to achieve a complete cure.
It is important to tune in correctly: you do not need to wait for the doctor to give a “magic pill”, after which the disease will recede. Also, do not trust obsessive advertising and pseudo-specialists who promise an instant cure for a disease that has been plaguing for years.
You need to be aware that a chronic disease is a serious malfunction in the work of the whole organism, which is used to malfunctioning. The patient’s task is to direct his body to the full-fledged work together with the doctor.
A competent specialist should prescribe an extensive examination course, including not only a disturbing organ, but also other body systems.
Treatment is usually prescribed for a long time. In addition to targeted medications, it may contain drugs to improve the immune system, the nervous system, as well as vitamin complexes.
Prevention of occurrence
Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. In the case of chronic diseases, this principle is also relevant. You need to be attentive to the state of your body so as not to miss the first alarming bells. Measures for the prevention of chronic diseases include the following:
- Any acute infectious diseases must be brought to a complete cure. The fact of the onset of recovery must be confirmed by the doctor.
- Do not tolerate infectious diseases on the legs, expecting the body to cope.
- Pay attention to unpleasant symptoms that repeatedly occur (for example, heaviness in the side after eating, poor sleep).
- Undergo regular examinations, at least as a minimum: fluorography, blood and urine tests, cardiograms. If you conduct a survey every six months, even a slight deterioration in performance will be noticeable.
When do you need emergency care?
In the presence of chronic diseases, patients usually know what the exacerbation looks like and what needs to be done. But if the exacerbation of the disease occurs suddenly, the attack is more acute than usual, accompanied by a high fever or unusual symptoms - you should seek medical help.
In this case, you must immediately go to the hospital yourself to your doctor or call an ambulance team. In case of an ambulance arrival, it is necessary to inform the doctor about a chronic disease that has a history, as well as about drugs that the patient managed to take before the arrival of medical care.
Also, do not neglect the call to the doctor if the usual methods of relieving exacerbations do not help or if you need to increase the dose of the drug.
Chronic diseases can significantly impair the quality of life, but by observing the small limitations and regimen, long periods of remission and long years of happy life can be achieved.