A complex chronic illness is a medical condition that lasts for an extended period and requires ongoing medical attention. It can be caused by a combination of factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors. These illnesses are often difficult to diagnose and treat, and can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life.
These illnesses can cause a range of symptoms, including fatigue, pain, and cognitive impairment. Managing a complex chronic illness often requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving healthcare professionals who are trained in multi-modalities of care, including integrative medicine, functional medicine, functional neurology and chiropractic care, osteopathic medicine and other disciplines. Treatment options should be tailored to a patient’s specific needs and may include medications, dietary supplements, herbal medicine, IV Therapy, lifestyle changes, and complementary therapies.
Examples of Complex Chronic Illnesses
Restoration Healthcare specializes in treating complex chronic illnesses. Our patients must have a complex chronic illness to meet the clinic’s medical-necessity criteria and qualify for care. We wish we could treat everyone who inquires, but it is not possible. There are hundreds if not thousands of complex chronic illnesses. If you have a chronic illness that is not on this list, please contact us to discuss your situation. In general, we commonly see the following among our patients:
- Lyme Disease
- Mold & Mycotoxins
- Long COVID
- Autoimmune Diseases
- Environmental Toxicity
- Cognitive Impairment
- Dermatomyositis
- Mast Cell Disorders
- Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
- Chronic Fatigue/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
- Gastrointestinal Illness
- Hormone Imbalances
- Metabolic Disorders
- Sleep & Stress Issues
- PANS/PANDA
Why are Complex Chronic Illnesses Difficult to Diagnose?
A complex chronic illness can be difficult to diagnose due to a variety of factors. The symptoms of such illnesses can often be vague and non-specific, making it hard to pinpoint the underlying condition.
Additionally, many complex chronic illnesses share similar symptoms, further complicating the diagnostic process. Another challenge in diagnosing complex chronic illnesses is the lack of awareness and understanding among healthcare professionals. Other factors that affect the diagnosis:
- Many of these illnesses are rare and not well-known, leading to a delayed diagnosis.
- Moreover, the diagnostic criteria for some of these illnesses are still evolving, making it difficult for doctors to keep up with the latest developments.
- The diagnostic process for complex chronic illnesses can be time-consuming and expensive. Patients may need to undergo multiple tests and see multiple specialists before a diagnosis is reached. This can be frustrating for both patients and healthcare providers, and can lead to a delay in treatment.
Increases in Complex Chronic Illnesses
There has been a significant increase in the number of people with complex chronic illness. This rise can be attributed to various factors such as an aging population, lifestyle changes, and advancements in medical technology. Complex chronic illnesses, which are characterized by long-term and often multiple health conditions, pose significant challenges for individuals, healthcare systems, and society as a whole. According to data from the National Institutes of Health, there is a significant rise in the level of chronic illness in this country:
- The number of people in the United States aged 50 years and older will increase by 61.11% from 137.25 million in 2020 to 221.13 million in 2050.
- Of the population 50 years and older, the number with at least one chronic disease is estimated to increase by 99.5% from 71.522 million in 2020 to 142.66 million by 2050.
- At the same time, those with multimorbidity are projected to increase 91.16% from 7.8304 million in 2020 to 14.968 million in 2050.
- By race by 2050, 64.6% of non-Hispanic whites will likely have one or more chronic conditions, while for non-Hispanic black, 61.47%, and Hispanic and other races 64.5%.
As seen by this data, the main reasons for the increase in complex chronic illness is the aging population. As people live longer, they are more likely to develop multiple health conditions that require ongoing management and care. This puts a strain on healthcare resources and requires a multidisciplinary approach to provide comprehensive care. The following are a few examples that we see in our clinic:
Lyme Disease
As our climate changes and land use shifts, levels of environmentally related chronic health conditions rise. Reforestation and suburban development brings people, deers, rodents, ticks, and germ ticks into closer contact. Changing climate patterns alters the natural environment and influences the distribution and occurrence of tickborne diseases.
Approximately 500,000 people are diagnosed and treated for tick borne illness every year. As a reference point, this is twice the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer per year. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the incidence of Lyme Disease doubled from 1991 to 2018. These many years later, Lyme disease health experts say infection are on the rise and that the estimate of the number of actual infections may be significantly higher because many cases go unreported or the person does not know they are infected until many months or even years later.
Mold Infections
Increases in mold infections from climate change are a concern among health experts. Environmental disruptions from climate change such as floods, storms, and hurricanes can easily spread aerosolized fungi or implant them into humans. Climate and health experts are concerned that climate changes will increase the geographic range of pathogenic mold species or their vectors and lead to a greater number of cases in areas where they may have not been previously reported. Increases in mold toxicity and exposure are likely a result of:
- Natural disasters
- New construction methods
- Better sealing and insulation in buildings
Lifestyle, Environmental Factors and Autoimmune Diseases
Another contributing factor is lifestyle changes. Our modern lifestyle is sedentary and overcome by poor nutrition and increased stress levels, which leads to a rise in conditions such as metabolic health problems, autoimmune diseases and mental health disorders. These conditions often require long-term management and can lead to other health complications. Additionally, advancements in medical technology have improved the detection and diagnosis of certain conditions, leading to an increase in the number of people identified as having complex chronic illness.
Autoimmunity researchers say that the levels of autoimmune disease markers (ANA antibodies) have risen significantly in the past five decades. This correlated with the increase in diabetes, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus among other autoimmune diseases. Though there is no definitive cause, the researchers speculate that the rise in ANA markers and autoimmune is from environmental pollutants and toxicity exposure, dietary factors, viral infections and stress.
Scientists say environmental factors may be responsible for up to 70 percent of autoimmune diseases.
Increasing evidence links autoimmune risk with environmental exposures, including trichloroethene (TCE), silica, mercury, pristane, pesticides, and smoking. The mechanism for how these environmental agents contribute to the various autoimmune diseases may lie in the gut microbiome. This is why our physicians examine a person’s gut microbiome so carefully they enter the clinic with a suspected autoimmune disease or any other complex condition.
The aging population, climate and lifestyle changes, are all contributing factors to the rise in complex chronic illnesses. It is crucial for healthcare systems, like our clinic, to adapt to this growing trend by providing comprehensive and integrated care to effectively manage the complex needs of these individuals. It requires a high level of expertise and collaboration among healthcare professionals, as well as patience and persistence from patients. At Restoration Healthcare, we specialize in treating complex chronic illnesses. And, we aid in resolving the financial burden by accepting qualified insurance plans.
