Something that a lot of people deal with quietly every day is their chronic illness. You probably don’t even realise they’re doing it – chronic illness becomes so entrenched in your everyday life that it takes on a sort of normality for everyone affected. People who have asthma go out of the room to puff on their inhalers if they feel tight chested, and if someone’s living with arthritis, chances are they experience pain every day so they’ll only mention it when it gets particularly bad. Here are a list of common chronic illnesses that you or the people around you might be suffering from – and how you can revitalise your life.
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High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is found in more than one in four adults in the UK. Although it’s often symptomless, doctors can pick it up during an everyday check-up or a blood pressure check that’s available to people aged over forty – and after that it’s important to make sure that you get it treated because it can lead to heart attacks and strokes. If your blood pressure’s too high, it puts strain on your heart, your blood vessels and your other organs like your brain, kidneys and eyes. You can lower your blood pressure by making some lifestyle changes, like losing weight, eating less salt, taking more exercise, drinking less alcohol and quitting smoking.
Coeliac Disease
An autoimmune disorder (which basically means that the body attacks itself), coeliac disease is a digestive problem that affects mainly the small intestine. People suffering from coeliac disease react badly to food containing gluten with symptoms like diarrhoea, bloating, pain, fatigue and weight loss, because the body mistakes the gluten as a threat and attacks it, which in turn damages the bowel and the body’s ability to get nutrients from food. Gluten is found in cereal and in foods like bread, pasta, cakes and many sauces. You can keep yourself healthy by cutting it out of your diet. As a lot of people have given up gluten as a health choice, make sure that you tell restaurants that you have coeliac disease and you’re severely intolerant to it, to ensure that they keep gluten out of your meal.
Asthma
A lung disorder which causes breathing difficulties, asthma is often diagnosed in children who later grow out of it and is caused by the inflammation of the breathing tubes. However, for many of us, asthma sticks around way into adulthood so it’s important to make sure you’re managing your symptoms effectively. When your asthma is bad, you might find that you feel tight chested and that you’re wheezing, coughing and feeling breathless. It’s often exacerbated by environmental factors so make sure that you keep your house free of dust and that you see your doctor for any hay fever relief. Cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes and exercise can also make it worse. Reliever and preventer inhalers are very useful to treat asthma – you can buy a Ventolin inhaler for asthma online. Keep communicating with your GP about how best to treat your asthma.
Depression
People assume that depression means crying all the time and feeling sad, but that isn’t the only way to diagnose mental illness. If you’ve been feeling empty and you’re finding less enjoyment in the things you usually do – like your favourite books or TV shows – then chances are, you’re suffering from depression. If it’s been going on consistently for months, it’s time to get yourself treated – remember to treat mental illness like any other, and know that it absolutely is not a sign of weakness. You can go on medication to help, like SSRIs, or you could try out cognitive behavioural therapy, which changes your thought patterns to make them more positive and productive. If you’re suffering from depression, remember to take care of yourself. Try to keep busy, make sure you walk a lot, and socialize with close friends and family who understand when you feel up to it. If you feel suicidal or like you want to hurt yourself, go immediately to your local A&E department.
Endometriosis
Although it affects two million people in the UK, endometriosis is the sort of condition that barely anyone talks about. Caused by womb tissue growing in the wrong part of the body, symptoms include heavy or painful periods, pelvic pain, pain during sex, fatigue, and infertility. Endometriosis can be hard to diagnose because symptoms vary from person to person, but it can be treated with painkillers and hormonal medication. If you’re having problems with fertility, surgery to remove some of the tissue can help.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]