Why Simple Illnesses Are Harder to Fight When You're Chronically Ill

Everybody has experienced a cold, the flu, and other common illnesses at least once in their life. Typically the symptoms last a few days to a week and you feel as good as new once recovered. When you’re chronically ill, these illnesses just make everything worse.

Chronically ill people already are fighting a battle daily. Their bodies are already worn out from the pain, fatigue and all of the other symptoms that come along with a chronic illness. There are no breaks when it comes to chronic illnesses — you are in fight mode 24/7. When you add a cold or flu onto that, your body has to fight 10 times as hard.

Many people with chronic illnesses also have compromised immune systems and get sick very easily. No matter how many times we wash our hands, clean with Clorox wipes, or put on hand sanitizer, we still seem to get sick.

 

People with chronic illnesses also take a longer time to recover. They need more sleep, more fluids, and sometimes more medications in order to recover. A lot of times, a minor cold will turn into something more serious like bronchitis or pneumonia which mess up our bodies even more and cause a harder recovery.

As we approach winter, please remember those around you that have a daily battle that you may not even know about. Remember that when you’re sick, you are contagious. Please get better as soon as possible. While recovering, stay home so you do not put the immune compromised at risk. If you must go out, keep you’re hands clean and your mouth covered to try and prevent the spreading of germs.

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Thinkstock photo by cyano66