Chronic Disease Management Specialist
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Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie
Family Medicine & Internal Medicine located in Grand Prairie, TX
Long-term or incurable health conditions make each day a challenge, but expert chronic disease management can make a significant difference to your quality of life. Pannaben Nangha, MD, at Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie in Grand Prairie, Texas, provides compassionate and effective care for patients with a wide range of conditions, from chronic pain and diabetes to heart disease and asthma. To find out how you could benefit from chronic disease management, call Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie or schedule an appointment online today.
Chronic Disease Management Q&A
What is a chronic disease?
A chronic disease persists for a long time – more than three months, although very often, these conditions last a lifetime. Many chronic diseases are incurable; however, with expert care and support from Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie, it's possible to manage chronic diseases for a better quality of life.
Some of the most widespread chronic diseases include:
- Heart disease
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Diabetes
- Migraines
- High cholesterol
- Gout
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Thyroid disorders
- Kidney diseases
- Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions
- Cancer
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia
Some chronic diseases cause few or no symptoms until they reach a critical stage. Hypertension, for example, can cause life-threatening heart attacks, strokes, and organ failure with no warning. Therefore, regular blood pressure checks are vital. Attending an annual physical is the best way to catch these conditions in their earlier stages.
What is chronic disease management?
Chronic disease management is a collaboration between you and the Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie to keep you as healthy as possible and minimize the impact of your condition.
Whatever your condition might be, you can improve your health by making changes such as:
- Losing weight
- Eating a more nutritious diet
- Quitting smoking
- Cutting down on alcohol
- Getting regular exercise
- Managing sources of stress
- Avoiding triggers for conditions like asthma and migraines
Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie can help you with all these issues, providing advice and practical help to optimize your overall health. They create a personalized treatment plan for you that acts as a guide to ensure you're getting everything you need to cope with your chronic disease.
Your provider also works closely with any specialists involved in your care, for example, your oncologist if you have cancer or your cardiologist if you have heart disease.
What tests and treatments might chronic disease management involve?
The specific tests you need and how often you need them to vary according to which chronic diseases you have. It's common to have more than one long-term health problem, so you might find you need multiple tests; your provider at Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie coordinates your care to minimize the number of visits you need to make.
Blood tests are a common requirement for chronic disease management. Using blood tests, your provider can monitor your blood glucose levels, cholesterol, hormone levels, and many other important health indicators. Other tests might include urinalysis, an EKG (electrocardiogram), and diagnostic imaging tests like X-rays.
Regular reviews with your provider at Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie are also a key part of your chronic disease management plan. While you can visit them whenever you need to if you're having problems, regular consultations are important for monitoring your condition and picking up on anything you might be unaware of.
To find out more about how Primary Care Doctors of Grand Prairie can help with chronic disease management, call the office or book an appointment online today.
