In the midst of the domineering silence among informed and uninformed individuals all over the globe, chronic illnesses pose a threat. Their presence is a nightmare to both the infected and the affected, regardless of how ignorant we remain. Chronic illnesses affect one's social life, leading to other chronic conditions like depression following isolation from the social path and, in the worst cases, death. In Kenya, men have a 61.1% mortality rate and women have a 68.4% mortality rate due to chronic illnesses.
Causes of Chronic Illnesses
Some of the main causes of these illnesses are:
- Family history: It is one of the natural starting points of these illnesses. Biologically, when genes are passed from parents to offspring during mutation, there are always high chances of the offspring acquiring them. Illnesses such as asthma, cancer, and diabetes are some of the most known to be passed from one generation to the next.
- Environment: Environmental factors, such as pollution, climate change, and exposure to toxins, also contribute to the development of chronic illnesses, which are responsible for about 6.7 million deaths worldwide every year, according to the World Health Organization.
- Poor nutrition: Eating food with too many calories than our bodies need accelerates the rate at which these illnesses invade our bodies, causing around 1.8 million deaths.
- Smoking: Smoking causes cancer by changing or damaging the cell's DNA, diabetes by forcing cells not to respond to insulin which increases sugar levels, and asthma by destroying lung cells. Smoking has caused over eight million deaths.
Symptoms of Chronic Illnesses
The symptoms of chronic illnesses vary depending on the individual's immune system. People with strong immune systems usually realize when they have the last stages of these illnesses, hence killing them faster as compared to those with weak immunity. The most common symptoms associated with them include:
- Pain: Pain may originate from infected areas, especially with cancer. Too much pain may sometimes lead to diseases if painkillers are not given at the proper time.
- Fatigue: Fatigue is another popular symptom associated with chronic illnesses.
- Wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness: These are common symptoms of asthma, which become severe when breathing faster, having a faster heartbeat, fainting, having blue lips, and dizziness.
- Increased thirst, frequent urination, hunger, and blurred vision: These are common symptoms of diabetes, which result from high blood sugar levels.
These are not all but just a number of symptoms associated with these illnesses.
Treatment Options for Chronic Illnesses
For individuals with chronic illnesses to live longer, proper treatment and medication should be administered to them. Some of these forms of treatment include:
- Surgery: Surgery is a procedure that involves removing or repairing a part of the body that is affected by a chronic illness, such as a tumor or a damaged organ.
- Physical therapy: Physical therapy is a form of treatment that involves using exercises, massage, heat, and other methods to improve the function and mobility of the body, especially the muscles and joints.
- Psychological therapy: Psychological therapy is a form of treatment that involves using counseling, cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, acceptance and commitment therapy, and other methods to help one cope with the emotional and mental challenges of living with a chronic illness.
- Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy is a form of treatment that involves using high-energy rays to kill or shrink cancer cells and prevent them from spreading.
- Education: Education is a form of treatment that involves learning about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of chronic illnesses, as well as how to prevent or manage them.
As the wise men once said, "Invest in your health, reap the rewards". By understanding and treating chronic illnesses, we can improve our quality of life and well-being.
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