Abnormally excessive sweating that is often unrelated to body temperature nor exercise. Known as the silent disorder, this is a widespread condition that affects almost 3% of the population. Currently, solutions to alleviate the condition either serve as temporary solutions or cause many other side effects.

Hyperhidrosis

- Cancer is a term that refers to a collection of diseases in which some of the body's cells divide uncontrollably and invade surrounding tissues. 
- Cancer can metastasize, i.e., spread to other parts of the body. Metastatic cancer is hard to treat and tends to be fatal. Most cancer deaths are caused by metastasis.

This node should be a relation node, but I can't delete it since it's a root node of the "cancer" tree and it has two upvotes.


Cancer

According to the CDC, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attack’s the infected person’s immune system. With proper care, one can manage their HIV symptoms and protect their families, however, when not treated HIV leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, also known as AIDS. 

HIV/AIDS 

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, resulting in seizures, unusual behavior, sensations, and lack of awareness. Symptoms may vary widely, and at least 2 seizures without a known cause at least 24 hours apart are usually required for an epilepsy diagnoses.

Epilepsy

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder that affects cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. In affected individuals, these secretions are much thicker than they should be, causing blockages in passageways of the body.

Cystic Fibrosis


Based on the Guidance made by U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in 2022,  "Long COVID" can be referred as the post COVID-19 symptoms that last for weeks, months or years :
- a physical impairment including any physiological disorder or condition affecting one, or more body systems 
- a mental impairment including any mental or psychological disorder such as an emotional or mental illness.

Long COVID in United States

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal because either the body doesn't make enough insulin, or the body can't use its own insulin well enough. Diabetes can be qualified as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA) when the symptoms are severe and require treatment at work. The ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with diabetes disabilities.

Diabetes

The SSa's Blue Book section 4.00 lists all the heart disease that SSA considers a "cardiovascular aliment". The SSA defines a cardiovascular aliment as any disorder that affects the proper functioning of the heart or the circulatory system.

Cardiovascular Diseases

Long covid itself may not be a disability but given its potentially debilitating effects on people’s lives, it can be disabling. Long covid symptoms may also constitute disabilities because of loss of human function or because of a persistent impairment that undermines a person’s quality of life. 
An employment tribunal in the UK has for the first time ruled that a person’s long-COVID is a disability protected by the Equality Act 2010 in July 29th, 2022. 

Long COVID in United Kingdom

- Cystic fibrosis
- Diabetes
- Multiple sclerosis
- Cancers
- AIDS
- Hemophilia
- Epilepsy
- Hepatitis
- Hyperhidrosis
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Long COVID

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Pepperdine University

Grinnell College

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Chronic health conditions that impact various aspects of one's life and functioning.

Medical Disabilities

- As per NIH, chronic diseases usually last for ≥3 months and can be progressive.
- As per CDC, the deadliest chronic diseases in the US (from most to least deadly) are heart disease, cancer, CLRD, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes.
- People with chronic diseases are more likely to experience severe complications of COVID-19 if they get infected.

Chronic Diseases

The University of Texas at Austin Division of Diversity and Community Engagment. (n.d.) Medical Disabilities. Services for Students with Disabilities. https://diversity.utexas.edu/disability/medical-disabilities/

Medical Disabilities (University of Texas Article)

List of Medical Disabilities

Leprosy is a “dermatoneurological disease that can cause physical disabilities in the face and in the upper and lower limbs, causing a series of problems, such as limitation to perform activities of daily living, reduced ability to perform work functions and restriction to participate in society”. 

Leprosy

Vertigo is a feeling of spinning or dizziness that may have a peripheral cause but often occurs alongside many other symptoms as a part of a specific condition. Vertigo is most commonly a symptoms of vestibular disorders, such as mal de debarquement syndrome or labyrinthitis. 

Vertigo

A vestibular disorder is a temporary disorder, chronic illness, and/or disability caused by changes in, damage to, or incorrect development of the inner ear and surrounding area. Symptoms of vestibular disorders typically includes dizziness, hearing loss, and nausea and examples of vestibular disorders include Perilymph fistula, mal de debarquement, and labyrinthitis. Vestibular disorders tend to be more common in the elderly.

Vestibular Disorder

- According to the WHO, "Cardiovascular disease is the name for the group of disorders of heart and blood vessels."  
- As per WHO, cardiovascular disease includes hypertension, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease,  peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, and cardiomyopathies. 
- Cardiovascular disease is a risk factor for severe COVID-19, and COVID-19 causes cardiovascular complications. 

Cardiovascular disease 

Previous lung disease is a risk factor for mortality in patients with COVID-19. Older age, male gender, home oxygen therapy, and respiratory failure on admission were associated with an increased mortality. 

lung disease

- CKD, also known as chronic renal disease,  is a chronic, non-communicable, irreversible condition where kidney function gradually declines over time.
- However, CKD progression can be slowed down dramatically or even stopped.
- The earlier stages of CKD are usually asymptomatic.
- Diabetes and high blood pressure cause almost two-thirds of CKD cases.
- Source: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-chronic-kidney-disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

During the COVID-19 era the regular treatment and communication between physicians and patients regarding preexisting comorbidities has been disrupted. New guidelines and safety precautions must be put in place in order for physicians to still treat their patients and treat them through the use of telehealth or other means. While there are a lot of similarities between new communication policies being implemented across different areas of medicine, there are also many differences due to comorbidity specific criteria which facilitates different levels of involvement and communication between physicians and patients.


The comorbidities addressed under this node include:
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Digestive Diseases
- Elective Surgeries
- Liver Diseases
- Psychological Disorders
- Renal Diseases

Changes to COVID-19 Patient Comorbidity Treatment and Communication

Diabetes is a collection of diseases in which blood glucose levels (i.e., blood sugar) is too high. The most common types of diabetes are type II diabetes, type I diabetes, gestational diabetes, and prediabetes.



- Alzheimer's disease is a progressive chronic disease. It's "a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior"; over time, these symptoms progressively interfere with daily tasks.
- It's the 6th leading cause of death. Current treatments can alleviate the symptoms but can't stop the progression of Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's Disease

Neurodegenerative diseases refers to neurological diseases caused by neuronal death or deterioration due to many factors, including protein aggregation/misfolding, apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. 

Neurodegenerative Diseases

- Motivation
- Goal setting
- Problem Solving (overcoming barriers to positive change)
- Emotional Management
- Health Psychology

Link between Psychology and Chronic Diseases

Since mindfulness meditation can alleviate symptoms of distress, pain, and chronic disease, it can be used to treat hallucinations and delusions experienced by schizophrenic patients. 

What Symptoms Mindfulness Meditation can help Treat in Patients with Severe Schizophrenia

"Chronic pain management" or "pain management" typically refers to the practice of employing pain killing medicines, psychological therapy/ practices, and/ or managing/ controlling the environment of the patient/ sufferer in order to lessen or mitigate the pain they feel or else make the pain in question more manageable.

Chronic Pain Management

Chronic pain is often a symptom of chronic conditions/ disabilities, though not always. In the medical sphere, "chronic pain" is defined as pain that may be constant in some sense of come and go. Or, in the case of conditions that may have a cure or may "heal", chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than three to six months.

Chronic Pain

Chronic illness increases the likelihood of comorbid conditions such as mental illness and other physical conditions, a lower quality of life, increased cost of healthcare, and complications from a failure to manage the condition(s) properly. 

Learn Before

Related

Learn After