Difference Between Acute and Chronic Illness
Acute vs Chronic Illness: Key Differences, Causes & Examples
From arthritis to flu and several severe heart ailments, elderly individuals experience all these conditions. But have you wondered why this happens?
As people age, their immune systems and organs go through various changes, which make them prone to illness. Eventually, the medical conditions that develop can be divided into acute and chronic.
Differences Between Acute and Chronic Health Conditions
Acute and chronic illnesses impact the lifestyle of people differently. Here you can get an idea about how it happens:
| Parameter | Acute Illness | Chronic Illness |
| Onset | Acute illnesses occur abruptly, often without any apparent warning signs. | Chronic conditions, on the other hand, show a gradual onset, and they may or may not give indications. |
| Signs and symptoms | Clear, specific symptoms can be perceived for acute health conditions. | A chronic illness can be accompanied by ambiguous signs similar to other health conditions. |
| Prevention | Medications and vaccines can restrict the spread of certain acute conditions. | To stop chronic conditions from developing further, one must alter their lifestyle, behaviour, and dietary patterns. |
| Duration | Acute illnesses come with a short duration or course. | Chronic complications majorly have a long impact and sometimes can even be lifelong. |
| Diagnosis | Doctors have a specialised diagnostic procedure optimal for identifying an acute health condition. | The diagnoses of chronic conditions are many times unclear. |
| Treatment | Medical experts usually proceed with the treatment by deploying an established method. Sometimes, these illnesses can also disappear on their own. | Rarely does a medical team succeed in reversing a chronic condition. The patient can manage symptoms or slow their progression through lifestyle changes. |
| Care | Doctors actively perform treatments to recover an individual from acute illness. | In chronic illnesses, the patient must actively collaborate with their caregiver to make the necessary lifestyle modifications. |
| Recovery | Full recovery is more likely from an acute illness. | Individuals with chronic health conditions are bound to experience long-term implications as they age. Some may live with the difficulties throughout their lifetime. |
| Outlook | If someone is diagnosed with an acute illness, it does not indicate uncertainty for their future health. This is because these conditions are less likely to repeat moving forward. | Chronic conditions usually make people feel uncertain about their well-being. This is because there can be brief periods of relapse of the same illness in the future. |
Examples of Acute Medical Conditions
A few examples of conditions that are categorised as acute are:
- Broken bones or fractures
- Asthma attacks
- Burns
- Appendicitis
- Common cold
- Malaria
- Jaundice
- COVID-19
Additionally, infections like hepatitis A, cholera, and rabies come under this segment.
Examples of Chronic Medical Conditions
As per the top healthcare professionals, some chronic conditions are:
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- Obesity
- Tooth decay
- Infections like tuberculosis and leprosy
Some of the symptoms associated with these chronic illnesses can be controlled within a few months or years by eliminating unhealthy habits such as smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and consuming a lot of unhealthy food.
Moreover, based on what type of illness you are experiencing, your doctor can recommend specific prescription medicines and behavioural changes. You must follow these instructions sincerely to experience a positive outcome.
Also Read:
→ Difference Between Addison's Disease and Cushing's Syndrome
→ Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease
→ Difference Between Benign and Malignant Cancer
→ Difference Between Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases
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