Chances are that you will experience some sort of health condition at some point or another during your life. Now, common illnesses such as coughs, cold, and the flu can impact your general quality of life for a week or two, but will generally rectify themselves with time and rest. There are, however, other common health conditions that will have a much longer lasting impact on your overall quality of life and general health and wellbeing. These need to be diagnosed as soon as possible in order to minimise the detrimental impact that they can have on you as an individual, both physically and in regards to being able to live a full life. Here are just a few to take into consideration for now.

Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most common lifelong conditions in Western society. There are two main types of diabetes: type one and type two. Both revolve around an individual’s blood sugar level becoming too high, but each results in different reactions from the body.

• Type one diabetes – this is where an individual’s body and immune system attacks and destroys cells that produce insulin.

• Type two diabetes – this is where an individual’s body doesn’t produce sufficient insulin in the first place, or the body’s cells just do not react to insulin that is produced.

Generally speaking, type two diabetes is a lot more common than type one diabetes. Now, there are various ways that you can identify diabetes early on, as there are various symptoms that come hand in hand with the condition. First, you can attend regular screenings for eye defects. A general optician will be able to conduct full checks of the health of your eyes during a standard eye check. Individuals with diabetes may exhibit symptoms in regards to the capillaries in their retina. An optometrist will be able to identify these and refer you on for diagnosis and treatment. Alternatively, you should keep an eye out for symptoms such as excessive thirstiness, excessive urination, loss of weight and muscle bulk, or cuts and wounds healing slowly.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that primarily affects adults over the age of 65, however, it is extremely important to familiarise yourself with both the condition and its symptoms regardless of your age, as it can affect anyone. There are over one hundred different types of arthritis (the most common being rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis), and the problem can affect different individuals in different ways, so let’s help you to recognise some of its basic symptoms. Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. This results in joint stiffness, joint pain, and swelling of the joints. This can cause an individual’s range of motion to be significantly reduce, and can discourage them from carrying out day to day tasks or engaging with day to day activities in order to avoid pain. This can be extremely detrimental to an individual’s overall quality of life, as they may stop preparing their own food effectively, spending time with loved ones, or heading outdoors. If you believe that you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of arthritis, consult a doctor. This will help you to receive treatment as soon as possible and you can also be referred for help with your day to day life, reducing the impact that the disease has on your personal circumstances.

Dementia

Another condition that we tend to associate with the elderly, but that can actually be early onset, is dementia. This is a condition that comes with warning signs. However, seeing as many people are afraid of developing the condition, they tend to turn a blind eye to the symptoms, which can result in further problems down the line. As there isn’t yet a cure or particularly effective treatment for dementia, it is extremely important that it is diagnosed as early as possible in order to give people the opportunity to prepare for the lifestyle changes that dementia can entail. These are just a few warning signs that you should look out for in both yourself and loved ones.

• Keep an eye out for signs of memory loss. If you or a loved one easily forgets names, faces, and events or regularly repeats themselves.

• Individuals suffering from dementia may experience difficulties in concentrating. Whether this may be on tasks, entertainment, or keeping up with conversation.

• Sufferers of dementia tend to be extremely unorganised, failing to create or stick to solid plans.

• Another warning sign of dementia can be difficulties in communication, as they cannot remember what they were talking about.

• Dementia can pose problems with numbers as well as words. While the majority of us will be able to account our own or a loved one’s phone number, remembering a sequence of numbers can be extremely difficult for individuals with dementia.

Of course, these warning signs could all have alternative causes. But if you are concerned that yourself or a loved one may be suffering from dementia, it’s definitely worth tracking the symptoms and reaching out for medical help.

These are just a few different health concerns to keep an eye out for, but they are some of the most commonly experienced. So, it’s always a good idea to familiarise yourself with their warning signs and symptoms. If you have any health concern at all, just remember to book in with a general doctor as soon as possible. They will be able to determine the problem and seek appropriate treatment or lifestyle changes.