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What Is Progressive Disease?

A progressive disease gets worse or more severe over time. It may involve more parts of the body, cause more symptoms or cause more severe symptoms as time passes. Some progressive diseases get worse quickly, while others progress more slowly.

  1. How Progressive, Chronic and Acute Diseases Differ

    • The words "acute" and "chronic" describe how long a disease lasts. An acute disease comes on suddenly, lasts a short time and may get better on its own. A chronic disease is one that lasts three months or more, according to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Regardless of whether a disease is acute, chronic or progressive, it can be mild, severe or even fatal. A progressive disease not only doesn't go away, it gets worse. Some, but not all, progressive diseases are fatal. Some have symptoms that are quite severe; others have milder symptoms.

    Examples of Progressive Diseases

    • There is a wide range of progressive diseases. Diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis all involve damage to the nerves of the brain or spinal cord that progresses. This growing damage causes problems with coordination, movement, muscle strength or, in the case of Alzheimer's, memory. In HIV/AIDS, a virus destroys key cells in the body's immune system, making it hard for a person to fight infections from even common bacteria.

    Treating Progressive Diseases

    • While there is no cure for progressive diseases, the symptoms they cause can often be treated. Treatments varies with the disease. Drugs often help manage symptoms. In some cases, chemotherapy, radiation or surgery can be done to lessen symptoms or slow down the progress of the disease. Even simple changes in diet, exercise and other lifestyle habits can have a good effect on the symptoms.

    Outlook

    • Not all progressive diseases are fatal. A disease like rheumatoid arthritis, for example, causes joint pain and swelling, stiffness, fatigue and sometimes fevers, but rarely kills. New medications and research have made it possible for people with HIV infection to live for decades.

    Coping Suggestions

    • Having a progressive disease is an ongoing strain on the body. The healthier a lifestyle a person leads, the better her body is able to defend itself against the disease. This means eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and getting enough rest. The more a person knows about his disease, the better he is able to design coping strategies for living with a progressive disease.

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