What Is an Acute Disease?

What Is an Acute Disease?

Over the years, we are bound to encounter one type of condition or another that threatens our health, and it seems that as we age we encounter them more and more. These are generally categorized as chronic and acute depending on how fast they develop and how long we can expect them to linger. We'll discuss the differences between these and provide some examples of acute diseases, but to learn more please reach out to your Woodbridge, VA, doctor Dr. Deana Al-Khateeb of Ridgeview Internal Medicine.

Acute vs. Chronic

Chronic conditions are those that develop slowly, over months or years, and that can similarly worsen over the long run. Unhealthy health habits increase our chances of encountering a chronic disease, but a lot of other factors also play a role, like social and genetic influences, and of course, age.

Because they form and occur over an extended period of time, they typically can't be cured so any form of treatment centers around managing both the disease and its symptoms.

Acute Disease Treatment in Woodbridge, VA

Acute conditions on the other hand tend to manifest suddenly and often with little warning. They tend to be brought on by infection or a virus, or even an accident. But these conditions tend to improve with time and treatment.

Examples range from a common cold, a burn, a headache, to a broken bone. It all depends on the origin of the symptoms, and the only real way to know the underlying cause is by making a visit to the office for diagnosis, and of course treatment.

This isn't to say that acute diseases are less threatening than chronic ones because heart attacks, pneumonia, and appendicitis, among other serious conditions, also fall under the acute category.

To find out about all the different ways that your local doctor can help you deal with acute conditions dial (703) 494-4116 to make an appointment with Dr. Al-Khateeb of Ridgeview Internal Medicine in Woodbridge, VA.


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