Many diseases and conditions cannot be cured by existing medical treatments. When a medical problem can't be cured or healed, then the goal is to manage it to make sure both the patient's longevity and quality of life are maximized by managing the problem.
Many of the diseases and conditions that must be managed are considered "chronic" which means they last a long time (more than three months, even through the rest of one's life) or they recur over and over again throughout one's lifetime.
Diabetes is one example of a disease that is managed. When patients manage their diabetes by controlling blood sugar and insulin levels, they can live very long lives.
Examples of other diseases or conditions which must be managed, often for the rest of a patient's lifetime, are allergies, asthma, heart disease, GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease), arthritis and hundreds of others. This includes diseases that may become more difficult as they progress like multiple sclerosis, lupus, Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's Disease. Some cancers, such as melanoma and prostate, are now considered manageable for some patients, too.
Some diseases and conditions require a lifetime of management, beginning at birth or early in life. Muscular dystrophy, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and autism are examples.
One important aspect of disease management is its goal of preventing another disease from developing. People with diabetes are at risk of developing heart, nerve or eye problems, for example. These additional problems are called comorbidities, meaning, they are developed in addition to, and sometimes as a result of, the original problem. Therefore one goal of disease management is preventive -- preventing the extra problem from occurring.
