A wide range of illnesses and conditions impact our health and daily lives throughout the year. Many of these common diseases are caused due to environmental factors, such as pollution and rains, and others are caused due to unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits, for example, not practicing good personal hygiene at home, at work, and in public settings; eating unhealthy, sedentary foods; and so on.
A November 2015 poll by Gallup, an analytics and advisory company, came up with the below data about common health diseases and conditions in Americans.
- Obesity: 15%
- Cancer: 14%
- Drug & alcohol abuse: 2%
- Diabetes: 2%
- Flu: 1%
- Heart diseases: 1%
- AIDS: 1%
- Mental illnesses: 1%
The following is a quick description of a few additional health ailments and diseases that people experience.
Asthma: This chronic lung disease results in difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Asthma attacks are characterized by narrowing and swelling of the bronchial airways, which make it harder for the patient to breathe.
Influenza: The flu is a dangerous viral respiratory ailment that can spread from person to person. In the long run, influenza can lead to other health problems like asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The flu vaccination should be administered annually to protect against influenza.
Overweight and obesity: Being overweight or obese raises your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension), and malignancies of the breast, prostate, and colon. Obesity is mostly caused by poor eating habits and an inactive lifestyle.
Cancer: An aberrant expansion and division of cells is the root cause of cancer. Cancer-infected cells are unable to repair their damaged DNA, and also infect the healthy cells. Blood, the mouth, the breasts, the throat, and the prostate gland in men are among the many possible sites for cancer to manifest.
Tuberculosis: When a person with tuberculosis coughs or sneezes, the disease spreads to other people’s lungs through the air. The disease can also spread if someone shares water or food with the infected individual. As long as medical help is sought out quickly, tuberculosis can be treated.
Allergies: This happens when your immune system overreacts to allergens such as pollen, foods, mold and latex, that are ordinarily not harmful. Allergens can cause eye irritation, stuffy or runny nose, puffy and watery eyes, and inflamed, itchy throat.
Diarrhea: Symptoms of diarrhea include watery, loose stool, frequent bowel movements, and cramping pain in the abdomen. The condition is caused due to bacterial or viral infection, parasites, food intolerance, menstruation cramps, and overuse of alcohol. One should avoid high sugar drinks, greasy and fiber-based food, and caffeine to prevent to diarrhea.
Headache: Every one of us suffers from occasional headaches. A cluster-headache affects a specific point of the head, often the eyes, and results in piercing pain. Not only do tension and migraine headaches lead to stress, but they also cause slouching and sadness. Physical and mental stress, sleep disturbances, menstruation, nitrate-containing foods (like hot dogs), meal skipping, exhaustion, and weather changes are among the most typical triggers for headaches. Mild headache can be treated by placing an ice pack over the eyes and forehead, taking a break from stressful situations, and occasional use of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines such as ibuprofen or aspirin.
Safeguard yourself from common illnesses and other diseases with health insurance To safeguard your family and your employees from these common illnesses and other chronic (long-term) and acute (short-term) preexisting diseases, health insurance is a prudent financial move. However, with so many health insurance plans available in the markets, it may become difficult for one to choose the right and customized health insurance plan. PrudentRx Program can help you in choosing the right health insurance plan for your employees. To further reduce your out-of-pocket costs, the professionals at PrudentRx can advise you on which prescriptions are covered by the PrudentRx drug list, assist you in optimizing your CVS copay, and more. In PrudentRX FAQs, you will find answers to most of your common queries and concerns related to coverage, benefits,and other details related to health insurance plans.
