Texas Doctors Talk about Chronic Disease Management

Dr. Nehme Alkarra and Dr. Xiao Li are experienced and skilled, board-certified internists who see patients daily at their practices at All Care Medical Group in Dickinson and Houston, TX (Texas City, TX). They want to help you understand the chronic care of your specific disease.

Defining a Chronic Disease

• Lasts longer than three months
• A persistent condition with long-lasting effects, slow worsening progression, manageable with no cure
• There are four types: cardiovascular, cancers, respiratory diseases, diabetes
• Examples - Arthritis, cancer, asthma, COPD, diabetes, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS
• Not contagious

Chronic diseases can have turning points, such as your chronic condition, which can go from chronic to terminal or terminal to chronic. Depending on the treatment and its effect on your symptoms, you can see your condition flip from acute to chronic or chronic to acute. Your chronic disease symptoms can disappear with the correct treatment.

Management of Chronic Disease

All Care Medical Group in Dickinson & Houston, TX (Texas City, TX) explains that chronic care starts with identifying and eliminating the risk factors in your lifestyle. Regardless of diagnosis, the primary risk factors apply to everyone with a chronic disease.

• Stop smoking that damages the circulatory system, heart, and respiratory system, decreases immunity, affects memory 
• Boost your nutritional intake daily and visit a dietary consultant 
• Bring your weight to a normal range according to age, structure, and height
• Exercise boosts metabolism, circulation, oxygen levels, and lung capacity
• Avoid excessive alcohol use 
• Stop recreational drug use
• Consider your age and where you work and live. Are there social factors preventing you from making healthy choices or preventing you from receiving excellent medical care?

The CDC works hard to decrease chronic disease risk factors, a large part of chronic care management, through REACH and Getting Further Faster so that everyone can live their lives to the fullest and healthiest possible.

How Can the Doctor Manage Chronic Disease?

• Gathers entire medical history and status
• Review of medication
• Considers treatment plan based on diagnosis
• Blood tests/monitors vital signs
• Monitors symptoms
• Works to halt the progression of disease
• Recommends lifestyle changes related to diagnosis
• Educational tools for you

Your doctor can't improve your chronic condition if you don't take responsibility for your healthcare. It would help if you worked with your doctor to achieve the best possible outcome and the highest healthcare quality.

Manage Your Chronic Disease, Call Us Today

Call Dr. Alkarra and Dr. Li today at All Care Medical Group in Dickinson & Houston, TX, (Texas City, TX) at (832) 738-1710 to schedule your chronic care consultation appointment. We would love to meet with you and outline the best path toward better health through adequately caring for your health.