Chronic Disease Management

What are chronic diseases?

Chronic diseases are illnesses that last for many months, years, or even a lifetime. One solid definition of a chronic disease states that it’s an illness that lasts for at least a year. Some chronic diseases start out as acute (short term) conditions but stick around and turn into chronic illnesses. Others only exist as chronic diseases.

A few common examples of chronic diseases that benefit from personalized management are:

• Arthritis
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Chronic migraine
• Fibromyalgia
• Endometriosis
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Chronic lung disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Hyper- and hypothyroidism

Dr. Leach uses advanced techniques in his office not only to diagnose chronic conditions, but to monitor their progress over time. With individualized chronic disease management care, you can reduce the overall effects of a chronic disease on your life. 

How does chronic disease management work?

If you have a chronic disease, you’ll benefit from individualized, evidence-based care by Dr. Leach. He specializes in making accurate diagnoses and using the latest techniques to reduce symptoms and prevent complications. 

A typical treatment plan consists of:

Lifestyle medicine

A lifestyle that is not health-oriented can cause chronic disease or worsen one that you already have. Dr. Leach’s recommendations may include changing your diet, smoking or alcohol cessation, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, managing stress, or getting regular exercise. 

Medications

Medications of various types can manage the effects of a chronic disease. In order toTo benefit from them, you must use them according to Dr. Leach’s instructions. 

Procedures and surgeries 

Certain procedures that Dr. Leach can perform may improve symptoms of a chronic disease, such as neuromodulator injections for chronic migraine or thyroidectomy for hyperthyroidism. If you need surgery, Dr. Leach refers you to a trustworthy specialist. 

What is the goal of chronic disease management?

The majority of chronic diseases do not have a cure. While many can go into remission and stop causing symptoms for a short time or indefinitely, chronic disease management services do not aim to make the disease go away as this is usually either not likely or not possible. 

The main objectives of chronic disease management are to reduce your symptoms and improve your overall quality of life. By reducing pain and other chronic disease symptoms, you may find that your sleep, energy levels, mobility, and outlook all improve too. 

During your time with Dr. Leach, he helps you explore various treatment routes to find an approach that works well for you. Your chronic disease management plan may change over time according to your health and circumstances. 

For more information on chronic diseases and best practices for chronic disease management, call the team at Family Medicine of Florida, or reserve an appointment online today.