A chronic illness persists over a long period and may or may not have a cure. Common examples include arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. If you were recently diagnosed with a chronic disease, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to cope, but even if your condition has no cure, you can learn how to manage it.

How a Chronic Illness Can Affect Your Life

If you have a chronic illness, you may regularly experience pain, decreased range of motion, and fatigue. With these physical limitations, you may not be able to handle your work duties; you might even need to quit your job to take care of your health.

A chronic health condition can also make everyday tasks more difficult. You may need your spouse or another relative to help you cook, clean, and do yard work. As you lose the ability to do tasks that seemed simple before, you may feel uncertain about the future.

How to Manage a Chronic Illness

Living with a chronic illness isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. The more involved you become in your treatment, the more in control you will feel. Learn about all of the available treatments for your condition, and don’t hesitate to ask your doctor questions. They’ll likely recommend lifestyle changes to address your symptoms, which may include dietary restrictions to follow. You should also keep yourself in shape by exercising as often as you can and getting at least eight hours of sleep a night.

You also need to preserve your mental health amid the stress of dealing with a chronic illness. Support groups are available for this purpose, plus you’ll meet other people who can teach you more ways to cope. Knowing other people are going through the same experiences will help improve your outlook as well when you see how they’re persevering.

If you have a chronic illness, turn to the board-certified physicians at Kona-Kohala Health Care Services for help managing it. Dr. Donald Nikaitani and Dr. Richard Pekala provide everything from blood work to flu shots and treat every patient in Kailua-Kona, HI, like a member of the family. For more information about their services, call (808) 329-1346 or visit their website.