The doctor named the most common chronic diseases and ways to avoid developing them

What is a chronic disease

doctor-oncologist of the L7 Breast Center, Doctor of Medical Sciences

“Chronic diseases are pathologies characterized by a long and persistent course. For any of them are characterized by periods of exacerbation (intensification of symptoms and the appearance of new signs of the disease) and remission (weakening of symptoms or disappearance of clinical manifestations)”.

Chronic diseases cannot be cured completely, but this does not mean that any chronic pathology seriously affects the quality of life of the patient and reduces life expectancy. With properly selected treatment and compliance with the recommendations of the attending physician in most cases can achieve a stable and long remission.

In this case, the disease may remind of itself only minor changes in the performance of organs, which are determined by laboratory, instrumental or ultrasound methods of research.

In each organ system under the influence of internal or external factors (triggers), pathological changes may begin, provoking the development of an acute state. Then, in the absence of timely treatment, the disease passes into a subacute (moderate), and after that into a chronic state.

What are chronic diseases

There are chronic infectious diseases, such as hepatitis, AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), and chronic non-infectious diseases, which include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cancer pathologies and other diseases.

Causes of chronic diseases

Triggers for the development of chronic infectious diseases are various types of viruses and bacteria. For example, syphilis occurs against the background of infection with pale treponema, and chronic tonsillitis is caused by adenovirus, parainfluenza virus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, Epstein-Barr virus, staphylococci, streptococci and pneumococci.

The likelihood of contracting infectious diseases increases with suboptimal immune functionality, that is, immunocompromised individuals have several times the risk of infection. Most chronic infectious diseases, if diagnosed in time, are successfully managed and put into remission.

Risk factors for chronic diseases

Chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) develop under the influence of many factors. One of the main causes of chronic non-communicable diseases is bad habits (smoking, including passive smoking, excessive alcohol consumption).

Patients who are overweight and sedentary are also prone to developing chronic non-communicable diseases. Low physical activity increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus by 30% and colon and breast cancer by 21-25%. Frequent stress and unstable psycho-emotional state, among other things, can provoke the occurrence of CVD.

Especially acute anxiety situations are reflected in women’s health, since emotional worries have a strong influence on the hormonal background. Also, chronic disease can develop under the influence of genetic factors, for example, hereditary predisposition to secretory insufficiency or hypersecretion, atrophic changes in mucous membranes and others.

List of the most common chronic diseases

1. Cardiovascular diseases (arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease, heart failure);
2. Type 2 diabetes mellitus;
3. Chronic respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD));
4. Cancer (breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, stomach cancer).

Symptoms of chronic diseases

The symptoms of chronic diseases depend directly on which organ or organ systems are involved in the pathologic process.

Common signs of most chronic diseases are considered the following manifestations: a feeling of periodic or constant discomfort or pain in a certain area, weakness, rapid fatigue, apathy, increased body temperature, digestive disorders.

Along with this, each pathology is characterized by specific signs.

For example, the most common diseases of the mammary glands are breast cancer (BC), fibroadenoma, breast cysts and mastopathy. The main symptoms of mastopathy are breast pain, thickening of the structure, and discharge of fluid from the nipples (the fluid can be yellow, brown, or gray).

Signs of breast cysts – pain, the presence of a palpable node with clear contours, redness of the skin, swelling of the breast, elevated body temperature, fibroadenoma – the presence of a dense and mobile node in the breast tissue, lack of redness and pain.

Breast cancer is a “multi-faced” disease, combining clinical manifestations of several pathologies. With breast cancer a woman may be concerned about changes in the shape and size of the breast, nipple discharge, the appearance of retracted areas of skin on the breast, swelling or redness of the skin, pulling pain in the breast, radiating to the arm or shoulder blade, possibly the formation of seals in the axillary area.

At the same time, each case of cancer is unique, in some clinical cases oncology is manifested by a complex of symptoms in the early stages, and in others – one not pronounced sign.

Treatment of chronic diseases

Diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases are engaged in narrow specialists – gynecologists, oncologists, mammologists, otorhinolaryngologists, cardiologists and other doctors. The method of treatment is selected depending on the stage of the disease and the presence of concomitant pathologies.

To control symptoms and improve the patient’s condition, drug therapy, immunotherapy in combination with physical therapy, as well as surgical treatment may be chosen.

Prevention of chronic diseases

It is important to realize that the risk of developing certain chronic diseases increases if the patient already has a history of a certain disease. So, for example, the probability of developing mastopathy increases in women with an aggravated gynecological history (in the presence of uterine myoma, inflammatory diseases of the ovaries).

That is why people who have had episodes of exacerbation of chronic diseases, it is important to regularly undergo routine preventive examinations. In addition, preventive diagnostics is the basis for the prevention of any ailments.

Examinations. Certain pathologies, such as diabetes mellitus type 2, for a long time can be asymptomatic. And preventive examinations will allow you to timely diagnose dangerous diseases and start treatment in time, thanks to which it will be possible to avoid serious complications and bring the disease into remission faster.

Refusal of bad habits. In addition, to prevent the development of chronic diseases, it is necessary to give up smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. It is necessary to develop proper dietary habits: follow the principles of a rational diet, limit the consumption of salt and sugar, as well as products containing carcinogens and trans fats.

Exercise. Of particular importance in the prevention of chronic diseases are healthy activity and regular physical activity. Exercise helps strengthen the immune system, which makes the body more resilient and less susceptible to harmful bacteria and viruses.

Hygiene. To reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), you should use barrier contraception every time you have sex. You should also monitor your emotional state and try to avoid stressors and overwork.