Chronic Care Specialist

What is chronic care?

Chronic care includes medical evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of common medical issues many men, women, and children face. Examples include:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol 
• Heart disease
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Obesity
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Hormone imbalance
• Cancer
• Gastrointestinal (GI) issues
• Depression, chronic stress, and anxiety

Detecting and treating these conditions early reduces the risk of serious complications. Dr. Okulaja takes a holistic approach whenever possible during chronic disease care.

Symptoms of chronic disease may include fatigue, appetite or weight changes, ongoing pain, difficulty breathing, extreme hunger or thirst, fractures, and other new or unusual symptoms.

What are the risk factors for chronic diseases?

While anyone can develop a chronic disease, some factors boost your risk of getting one, such as:

• Poor diet
• Lack of exercise
• Being overweight
• Smoking
• Excess alcohol consumption
• Family history of diseases
• Older age 
• Ongoing stress

Adopting healthy habits is the best way to keep chronic disease risks as low as possible. 

How does my provider diagnose chronic diseases?

To diagnose a chronic disease and treat it when needed, Dr. Okulaja reviews your symptoms and medical history. She checks your body weight, body mass index (BMI), pulse, blood pressure, and other vital signs, and completes a physical examination.

Dr. Okulaja could recommend you undergo blood tests, urine tests, heart-function testing, asthma tests, allergy testing, X-rays, or other imaging procedures. These tests allow her to diagnose your condition and develop a highly effective treatment. 

Dr. Okulaja also offers cancer screening to detect breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, skin cancer, or other common forms of cancer. 

What are common chronic care treatments?

Depending on the type of chronic disease you have and your lifestyle, Dr. Okulaja could recommend one of the following chronic care treatments:

• Lifestyle coaching
• Diet changes
• More exercise
• Healthy weight management
• Vitamin mineral supplementation
• IV infusions
• Oral medications
• Injections
• Inhalers
• Physical therapy
• Mental health counseling 
• Specialist referrals 

Dr. Okulaja understands the importance of referring patients to specialists if needed for complex or serious medical problems. 

To learn more about chronic care at The Doctor’s House, call the office or book an appointment online today.