Chronic Condition Management

Examples of Chronic Conditions

Do you struggle with any of the following issues?

Diabetes
Obesity
Fibromyalgia
Emphysema or COPD
Metabolic syndrome
High blood pressure
Chronic pain
Heart disease
Arthritis
Osteoporosis
Depression or anxiety

You’re not alone. Many people struggle to cope with chronic conditions that have a significant impact on their everyday life.

At pt Health, we help you get back to living a fuller, healthier life.

Portrait of young family with newborn baby

What is a Chronic Condition?

A chronic condition is any persistent injury, disease, pain or illness that has ongoing symptoms.

Chronic conditions typically cause lasting symptoms that interfere with daily activities.

Chronic conditions may also affect the body’s ability to heal from an injury or surgical procedure, and can generally worsen if managed incorrectly.

In fact, degenerative conditions can also become severe more quickly if appropriate intervention is not taken.

Common symptoms associated with chronic conditions include:

Pain, numbness or tingling
Joint instability
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Muscle weakness
Migrane
Depression
Anxiety

How Can pt Health Help

Chronic conditions are caused by injury, disease or illness, which typically never completely resolve.

Some chronic conditions also have a significant genetic component. Living with a chronic condition can be very challenging.

Often patients have been coping with conditions for years and have not found a satisfactory way to deal with their symptoms.

In some instances, a reliance on medication to manage pain and discomfort can cause side effects that also have a serious impact on a patient’s day to day functioning and mental well-being.

At pt Health, we believe in treating the whole person, not just the condition.

Many of our patients come to our clinics to deal with an acute injury. Quite often, rehabilitation from injury is negatively impacted by chronic conditions.

This means we have to also address and treat the chronic condition in order to ensure optimal healing.

Treatment options for chronic pain include:

Physiotherapy: May help to reduce pain and inflammation and can help correct poor body mechanics
Nutritional counselling & supplements
Massage, orthotics or adaptive equipment: Can help increase a patient’s well-being
Meditation and psychological counselling: Constructive ways to help increase psychological health
Naturopathic medicine: Can have a positive impact on physical well-being

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can benefit from Chronic Condition Management?

How can it be treated?

I'm anxious and depressed - I've been looking for answers for so long.

We understand. Our belief is in treating the whole person, not just the condition. That is why we believe in empowering our patients. And we don’t assume that there is one thing that will help a patient lead a happier more fulfilling life. We believe that it is a process and that therapeutic intervention has to address all aspects of the person and the condition. At pt Health we’re here to help you on your journey towards a healthier future.

I just have such a hard time moving around. How can I get help?

Will I still need to take my medication?

Often, particularly in the case of chronic conditions which are degenerative, medication will still play a role in a patient’s life. However, patients can learn to use alternative methods in order to manage their own condition. Certain chronic conditions, such as metabolic syndrome or obesity, can be reversed with appropriate intervention involving nutritional counselling and exercise prescription. Even if medication remains a central part of coping with a chronic condition, patients dealing with pain can use meditation and acupuncture to help alleviate their symptoms. It is important that patients are empowered to manage their condition and don’t rely solely on medication.

How could so many different therapies help me?

Often a multi-disciplinary approach is the best way to address the effects of a chronic condition. For example, massage can help with circulation and relaxation and can also address tension in the body that could be interfering with optimal function. Foot pain is typical in patient who struggle with weight issues – our naturopathic doctors can help with nutritional counseling. At the same time, our physiotherapists can help the same patient by prescribing an exercise program and providing the patient with orthotics to help correct the biomechanics of the foot. For chronic pain or fibromyalgia, supplements prescribed by our naturopaths can address some aspects of the condition and can help reduce reliance on medication. Meditation and counseling can help patients cope with the impact chronic pain has on their mental health.

Coverage Options

Services at pt Health are covered by most health care plans.

Typically, these plans pay 80-100% fee for service. If you have a dental plan, chances are you also have coverage for many of the services and products we offer at pt Health.

pt Health also accepts auto insurance and Work Safety Insurance Board (WSIB/WCB).

In some cases, we also accept Veterans Affairs and Medicare, such as:

OHIP (Ontario)
Alberta Health Care (Alberta)
Medical Service Plan MSP (British Columbia)

Not sure if you’ve got coverage with one of these government plans? We can help you find out. Just call us toll free at 1-866-749-7461.

At pt Health we believe your health should come first. We take care of the paperwork so you can focus on getting better, plus we offer direct insurance billing, saving you time and up front costs.

Learn More About pt Health Coverage Options

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