Health Care, Other

Significant Signs And Symptoms Of Chronic Disease

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Chronic Disease Chronic Disease

Chronic diseases include all wide range of conditions and illnesses that occur repeatedly or stay for prolonged periods. It includes array of diseases from diabetes to arthritis, intestinal diseases to mental illness. The specific symptoms will be determined by the kind of chronic disease that one suffers from.But, certain symptoms can be common to all forms of chronic diseases. By looking at these common signs and symptoms, it can be analyzed that one suffers from the chronic disease. It is also referred as chronic fatigue syndrome as persistent or excessive fatigue is the central symptom of the disease that makes it chronic.


Vital Signs And Symptoms Of Chronic Diseases

Fatigue

This is the identifying symptom of almost all forms of chronic illnesses. It appears in around 90 percent of individuals suffering from chronic disease and is therefore, referred as the hallmark symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome. It is observed in patients of chronic depression, diabetes, lupus, lung and heart ailments.

Depression

Depression is a chronic disease in itself, but it also appears as a major symptom of other chronic diseases like lupus and hypothyroidism. It is the second most common symptom observed in sufferers of chronic illnesses with nearly 90 percent people experiencing it during their chronic state.

Pain

People with chronic disease of lupus, arthritis and fatigue syndrome experience severe joint pain. Those with diabetes, suffer from a nerve pain referred as diabetic neuropathy. Patients of irritable bowel syndrome experience abdominal pain and cramping. Pain remains a common symptom in the most severe form in sufferers of chronic disease.

Changes In Weight

Under chronic disease, weight changes are commonly observed, where there can be either loss or gain of weight. This occurs when chronic disease leads to hormonal imbalances or certain associated problems with organs or glands in the body responsible for maintain homeostasis.

Sufferers of inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn’s disease tend to lose weight due to chronic diarrhea and loss of appetite. Diabetics usually also show tremendous loss of weight and sufferer of hypothyroidism may result in weight gain due to underactive thyroid gland. Depression in chronic form also leads to extreme weight gain or weight loss.

Other Symptoms

Sore Throat Sore Throat

There are certain more symptoms that may appear in addition to above in certain individuals of chronic disease, but may not be seen in the rest. Headaches that may occur little differently with unusual severity and pattern are the sign of chronic disease.

There could be unexplained pain of muscles, non refreshing sleep, soreness of throat, enlarged lymph nodes in armpits or neck, extreme exhaustion that lasts more than 24 hours and loss of concentration or memory as the varied signs and symptoms of chronic disease.

Weakened Immune System

Individuals with chronic disease usually show weakened immune system and that could be the sign or cause of the chronic illness. This immune system weakening may be caused by certain viral infections like herpes virus 6 or Epstein Barr virus or leukemia viruses.

Chronic disease may be caused due to combination of various factors, predominantly the genetic factor with which certain individuals are born, having a predisposition to such disease. In case of any above symptoms that appear consistently, one must visit the doctor and analyze whether the disease is of chronic form or not. With proper care and treatment, even chronic disease can be efficiently managed.