(This list will be updated with more chronic illnesses every month.)

What is a Chronic Illness?

A chronic illness is a long-term health condition that may need ongoing medical attention or may limit activities in everyday life. 

List of Chronic Illnesses

Alzheimer’s Disease: Alzheimer’s Disease is a condition that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills.

Arthritis: Arthritis is a condition where your joints swell and feel tender, making you feel joint pain and stiffness.

• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a condition where the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid Arthritis is a condition where your joints are inflamed because your immune system is attacking healthy cells by mistake.

Asthma: Asthma is a condition where the airways in your lungs narrow and swell, making you cough and wheeze.

Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar Disorder is a condition with mood swings of emotional highs and lows.

• Bipolar I Disorder: Bipolar I Disorder is a condition with severe mood swings of emotional highs and lows.

• Bipolar II Disorder: Bipolar II Disorder is a condition with milder mood swings of emotional highs and lows.

• Cyclothymia: Cyclothymia is a condition that causes alternating brief periods of emotional highs and lows.

Cancer: Cancer is a collection of related diseases.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): COPD is a group of conditions that block airflow from your lungs making it hard for you to breathe.

• Bronchitis: Bronchitis is a condition where your bronchial tubes (airways to and from your lungs) are inflamed making it difficult for you to breathe.

• Emphysema: Emphysema is a condition where your air sacs in your lungs are damaging causing you to be short of breath.

Cystic Fibrosis: Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening condition that can clog the lungs and digestive system.

Depression: Depression is a condition of a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest that can interfere with your everyday life.

Diabetes: Diabetes is a condition in which your blood has too much blood sugar (glucose).

• Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes is a condition where the body produces little to no insulin (a hormone that regulates the amount of blood sugar).

• Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or resists insulin.

• Prediabetes: Prediabetes is a condition where the blood sugar is high, but not high enough to be Type 2 Diabetes.

• Gestational Diabetes: Gestational Diabetes is a condition where pregnant women have high blood sugar.

Eczema: Eczema is a condition where a part of your skin is red and feels itchy.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a condition where the connective tissues of your body (things like tendons and ligaments that hold parts of your body together) are weakened. EDS can make your joints loose and your skin thin and easily bruised. It also can weaken blood vessels and organs.

Endometriosis: Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue that normally grows inside of the uterus begins to grow outside of the uterus.

Epilepsy: Epilepsy is a condition of having recurring seizures, a sudden, uncontrollable electrical disturbance in the brain that can cause changes in your behavior, movements, feelings, and consciousness. (Other names: seizure disorder.)

Hashimoto’s Disease: Hashimoto’s Disease is a condition where your immune system creates antibodies that hurt your thyroid gland.

Heart Disease: Heart Disease is a condition where blood vessels are narrowed or blocked and can lead to a heart attack, chest pain, or stroke. (Other names: cardiovascular disease.)

High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure (HBP) is when your blood pressure, the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels, is consistently too high. Over time, if untreated, high blood pressure can cause other health conditions such as heart disease and stroke. (Other names: hypertension)

High Cholesterol: High Cholesterol is a condition where you have high amount of cholesterol in your blood. Over time, if untreated, high cholesterol can limit blood flow which increases your risk of heart attack or stroke.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS): HIV is a virus that makes a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. AIDS is a later stage of an HIV infection where the body’s immune system shows symptoms of being badly damaged.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a condition where your digestive tract is inflamed.

• Ulcerative Colitis: Ulcerative Colitis is a condition where the lining of your large intestine and rectum are inflamed and have ulcers (sores).

• Crohn’s Disease: Crohn’s Disease is a condition where the lining of your digestive tract is inflamed.

Lower Back Pain: Lower Back Pain is a condition where the lower portion of your spine feels painful and is caused by injury to a muscle or ligament. This happens most commonly from everyday moments such as improper lifting, poor posture, lack of regular exercise, fracture, or arthritis. Most lower back pain goes away on its own in a couple of weeks but may be a recurring condition.

Lupus: Lupus is a condition where you can feel pain in any part of the body (joints, skin, kidney, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs) because your immune system is attacking healthy tissue and organs.

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a condition where you experience repeated episodes of the symptoms of anaphylaxis – allergic reaction symptoms such as hives, swelling, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and severe diarrhea.

Maffucci’s Disease: Maffucci’s Disease is a rare condition that causes tumors within your bones and skin showing abnormal bone growths.

Migraine Headaches: Migraine headaches is a condition that begins as a dull ache and develops into a throbbing pain of varying intensity that comes with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Sometimes migraine headaches are preceded by triggering symptoms such as hormonal changes, certain foods and drinks, stress, and exercise. (Other names: chronic migraines)

Scoliosis: Scoliosis is a condition where your spine curves sideways during your growth spurt before puberty.

About Wingspan Health

Wingspan Health is a healthcare technology company that believes that quality healthcare should be accessible for everyone.

Our tool, Wingspan, helps you manage your healthcare by bringing all of your health records in one place – any patient portal account from each of your healthcare providers.

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