Most of our illnesses are temporary, only hitting us for a little while. Other times, illnesses or issues can be chronic - lasting a year or longer. The doctors of All Care Medical Group have been helping Dickinson, TX, area residents with chronic illnesses for years. Below is a list of frequently asked questions when it comes to chronic care.

FAQs About Chronic Care

What Is a Chronic Condition?

A condition is considered chronic if it is something that is going to require long-term attention in how you treat, manage, or live with the condition. 

Common chronic conditions include diabetes, sciatica, arthritis, and high blood pressure.

What is Chronic Care?

Chronic care is how you manage your chronic condition. Using the previous conditions as examples:

• Chronic care for diabetes includes the continual monitoring of blood sugar levels, taking of insulin as required, and regulating your diet;
• Chronic care of sciatica or arthritis may involve routine visits to a chiropractor and implementing daily stretching exercises; or
• Chronic care of high blood pressure can involve the use of medications and/or lifestyle changes.

Why Should I Consider Chronic Care?

Most chronic illnesses are progressive - they get worse if left untreated. Meanwhile, many can actually be relieved with the appropriate changes. Using the previous conditions, again:

• Diabetes that is left unchecked often leads to neuropathy in, or loss of, the feet.
• Sciatica or arthritis tends to get worse over time. Proper care can halt its progression
• With appropriate lifestyle changes, high blood pressure may be reversible without the use of medication. 

What If I Usually Feel Fine?

Many chronic illnesses leave people with “good” and “bad” days. On “good” days, it can seem as though there is nothing wrong at all. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that the condition is gone. By acting as though it is, we can actually worsen the condition. For example, if we do an entire day of housecleaning just because our arthritis isn’t bothering us, today, we will likely be in immense pain the next day.

Chronic care is about the big picture, making sure that we don’t put ourselves in the position of being worse off, tomorrow, just because we were fine, today.

If you have any questions about chronic care management near Dickinson, TX, call (832) 738-1710 to schedule a consultation with All Care Medical Group and let our professionals help you feel better every day, today.