When will I recover?

This is one of the most obvious questions asked by patients, but also one of the most difficult to answer from a doctor's point of view.

The time it takes to recover depends on a number of factors. It depends on the type of disease, the treatment options, the relationship between the patient and the doctor, the patient's discipline, the time of recognition of the disease, the options for treatment, whether it is symptomatic or not.

Some illnesses are easily cured, even on their own (e.g. diarrhoeal infections). Some require medication and lifestyle changes. For example, reflux disease is a common disease. Here, part of the treatment involves taking the right dose of acid-reducing medication, but the patient also needs to make lifestyle changes (e.g. stop smoking, lose weight, dress loosely, change eating habits, etc.). This also requires self-discipline, because without it, symptoms will return and there is no cure. The doctor-patient relationship plays an important role in guiding the patient in the management of the disease, providing guidance on the right lifestyle, analysing the possible causes of relapses and making new therapeutic choices.

Some diseases last a lifetime. For example, some intestinal diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease), liver diseases (autoimmune hepatitis, viral hepatitis), or small intestinal diseases (e.g. celiac disease). Such diseases cannot be cured, but with regular medical monitoring, responsible cooperation of the patient, and medication guided by the doctor, they are manageable conditions that can be lived with for years or decades. Some diseases require surgical treatment (e.g. liver transplantation): the correct timing of the operation also requires close doctor-patient contact and cooperation.

Cancer is a special type of disease. Most cancers can be cured if detected in time. However, this requires individuals to recognise the importance of screening and to seek professional advice without delay in case of symptoms/symptoms.

However, some diseases cannot be cured even with today's medical knowledge. In these cases, however, the quality of life can be significantly improved and life expectancy extended. In these cases, a close doctor-patient relationship, supportive guidance from the doctor, cooperation from the patient and joint decision-making before important therapeutic interventions are essential.