Best apps for managing chronic illnesses

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness tends to come as a shock to the system for most people. It’s not something that you can easily digest and understand – but know that in the majority of your cases, if you learn how to manage your condition, you can continue to live out the rest of your life in comfort and happiness.

Managing your chronic illness should, first and foremost, be based on advice and orders given by your doctor. But if you’re struggling to handle things alone, there are plenty of apps that you can download to your phone for support in treating your condition.

Here are some of the best apps for managing chronic illnesses in 2020:

COPD is a condition that causes inflammation of the airways, making it difficult to breathe. If you have COPD, you may need to take medication through an inhaler, or use a supplementary oxygen device that uses sensors like the ones found here: https://www.sensoronics.com/.

The COPD Manager app lets you track patterns in moods, symptoms, medications and pain to help you better manage your condition going forward. You can fill in your daily journal, which produces information in easy-read charts. You can also connect to care providers and stay up to date with COPD news.

Arthritis is one of the most common chronic illnesses in the US. It causes joint swelling, tenderness and stiffness, and is often accompanied by pain. People with arthritis may struggle to exercise, go out in the cold, or even just carry out day-to-day tasks.

Manage My Pain is an app for arthritis sufferers that lets you track, analyze and share your pain with your doctor. You can record how you’re feeling, highlight any patterns or trends, and describe your pain in small summary results for your doctor to read.

Parkinson’s disease usually affects older people, and is characterised by a tremor, stiff movement, pain, impaired posture, and speech and writing changes. It is currently treated with medications that can help you to control your symptoms.

If you’re looking for a way to easily track your tremors and report back to your doctor, you may benefit from the CYPD app. This app connects to your Apple Watch, which records your tremors and stores the data for you to share with your doctor, who can decide whether alterations are needed to your medication.

Epilepsy is one of the most unpredictable chronic conditions that exists today. There is often no way to know, as a person with epilepsy, when you may experience a seizure. Currently, treatment like anti-epileptic drugs is available, or surgery may be required to shut off the part of the brain that causes seizures.

SeizAlarm is designed for people who are struggling to manage their eipleptic seizures. It detects seizure-like motion and elevated heart rate via your iPhone or Apple watch, and automatically notifies your emergency contacts when a situation arises. You can also manually use the app to request for immediate help.