Chronic Disease Management

What is a chronic disease?

Illnesses and diseases are typically classified as either acute or chronic. Chronic diseases last for three months or more. In some cases, chronic diseases can affect your health for years or even for the rest of your life. Acute diseases, on the other hand, come on suddenly and tend to clear up quickly with appropriate medical treatment.

Some common chronic diseases include:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Inflammatory bowel diseases
• Mental health conditions

If you have a chronic health condition, contact Select Family Practice and Urgent Care for customized and effective care to manage your symptoms and improve your overall wellness, so that you can lead an active and fulfilling life.

What is chronic-disease management?

Chronic-disease management is the practice of providing medical treatment and lifestyle modifications to improve your health and regulate your symptoms to limit the disruption caused by your disease. The team at Select Family Practice and Urgent Care can help you improve your health, even if, like a third of the population, you have several chronic diseases.

How are chronic diseases treated?

The team at Select Family Practice and Urgent Care takes your overall wellness into account while providing chronic-disease management. They encourage and support lifestyle modifications such as changing your diet to include more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, and limiting salt, fat, sugar, and processed foods.

They can also help you add physical activity to your day. The U.S. lifestyle is overwhelmingly sedentary, which has a negative impact on your overall body function and wellness. You should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like a walk after dinner with your family, every day.

Additionally, if you smoke or use other tobacco products, ask the team at Select Family Practice and Urgent Care for support in quitting smoking.

Your provider can also prescribe medication to reduce your symptoms and improve your health. If you have multiple conditions, make sure your provider knows about every drug you take, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements. Many drugs and supplements can interact negatively and lead to unwanted side-effects.

The team at Select Family Practice and Urgent Care provides treatment and management services for all chronic diseases. Call or schedule an appointment online today to get the help you need to lead a healthy and active life.