THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. THIS IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.
Working in the health and wellness industry for decades brings perspective. Something I’ve noticed has reached epic proportions is a large percentage of adults are highly “defined” by a diagnosis they’ve received. This may not sit well with many individuals, try to suspend judgement temporarily. Be curious.
Is being defined by your diagnosis an impediment to vibrant health?
Questions to ponder
- Is it acerbated by the increase in medical billing codes?
- Is the current model of medical care creating this phenomenon?
- How can you break beyond defining yourself by the diagnosis?
- Does having a diagnosis encourage inertia?
Medical Billing Codes
In 1975 the medical ICD-8 code was in use which then became ICD-9 for coding and billing of medical conditions. Figures below from Grok.
- The version agreed at the 1975 conference had 909 three-digit disease categories
- In 2026, there are 98,186 diagnosis codes in total, of which 74,719 are billable (specific enough to put on a claim).
Just nuance sake, I graduated from high school in 1975 and this increase of almost 109 times in coding has occurred in my lifetime. For further, albeit anecdotal, in my graduating class there were basically non-existent conditions such as ADHD, autism, food allergies or sensitivities, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other prevalent chronic conditions of today.
Which brings us back to the question is the medical system encouraging individuals to “need” a diagnosis in order to serve them (medical providers and insurers) better? Cynically saying more diagnosis equals more pay out to the medical provider. If we want to be kind, it is not helping and if we want to NOT be kind, it is pay to play.
Let’s move from theory to reality. Here’s a couple scenarios I’ve heard many times.
Client X: I’ve got arthritis (the diagnosis) and my doctor said I should limit my activity, prescribed pain medications and said all part of the aging process.
- Client X has an arthritis diagnosis. How to move forward with this? Does this mean the rest of their years are defined by pain meds and a sedentary life? Should they just throw in the towel?
Client Y: A recent annual blood work review showed I’m pre-diabetic (the diagnosis) with HbA1c of 5.9. We have diabetes in our family. Doctor encouraged me to eat less and move more. Stated no need for medications now since not diabetic yet.
- Client Y now has pre-diabetic diagnosis. If the problem is a blood sugar control issue and the advice of moving more and eating less does not address that issue what benefit does the diagnosis have? If at the next annual visit, the person is full blown diabetic is the answer simply medication?
The bottom line is how do you see yourself post diagnosis? Hands up, I give up? Or do you see yourself empowered to act toward reversing and or at least managing your symptoms and addressing root causes? Obviously if you have a serious injury or medical condition this needs specific medical attention. We’re talking about the labels and terms placed in general related to lifestyle related chronic conditions.
Back to the arthritis diagnosis. What is arthritis? For our purposes talking about osteoarthritis not rheumatoid arthritis an auto-immune disorder. Osteoarthritis is broadly termed joint inflammation which also effects nearby tissues such as cartilage, synovium, bone, ligaments, or tendons.
Estimates say 1 on 5 US adults or close to 53 million Americans are diagnosed with arthritis as of 2024. I dare to wager many more are “told” by their doctor they have arthritis without an official diagnosis. Something to ponder in terms of one’s mental outlook towards aging.
If arthritis is an inflammation issue has the person giving the diagnosis provided the person receiving it education and information on what might lower inflammation? What strategies could be explored to reduce overall inflammation in the body? Or as I mentioned above does this diagnosis cause inertia (giving up) with the usual response, “I must just be getting old.”
For example, we know the below five elements (there are more) can contribute to inflammation in the body. See more in post here.
- Lack of sleep
- Chronic stress
- Poor metabolic health
- Environmental toxins
- Poor nutrition particularly consumption of highly processed foods, sugar and seed oils
Putting effort and time into improving the elements listed above if dealing with one or more arthritic joints might be a heck of a starting point. That said we know that as a nation the general tendency is to look for a quick solution, be it a pill or surgery, see post Waiting for the Next Magic Pill. Sure, surgery might be necessary for certain cases. However, I’d advocate for first try ALL other options then evaluate.
Let’s look at the “pre-diabetes” diagnose. Many doctors will not tell you that it is reversible. They will simply wait till you are full blown diabetic and then offer you treatment. If you’ve been labeled pre-diabetic, meaning having a 90-day blood glucose average (HbA1c test) of 5.7 to 6.4 there is so much you can do.
The label is simply a wake-up call to take charge now to NOT become diabetic. As background info, 2 in 5 US Adults or 42.6 % of the adult population (115.2 million) are diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Generally, medical personnel will often advise moving more and eating less. This has been the advice for over 50 years and has not moved the needle, see post here.
You can be pre-diabetic for years, equally important is this not just a question of carrying too much weight. You can be thin and or normal weight and still be pre-diabetic heading towards diabetes. What is called a TOFI, Thin on Outside, Fat on Inside.
Not accepting the diagnoses as a fait accompli but rather as a warning signal to take action. Look to the amazing accomplishments of the company Virta Health, reversing diabetes in millions of patients across the nation. Virta’s company motto says it all: “Don’t manage metabolic disease, reverse it.”
At the end of the day, it’s about individual investment in your health. Looking to what is the root cause contributing to your health issues. Take charge and work to not be pushed into a narrow valley that your diagnosis is WHO you are. Especially not accepting that it is purely due to aging.
Here’s a radical approach (some might say common sense).
- Do your homework research on the root causes of your diagnosis
- Find a support team outside the current sick care system
- Invest in acquiring the skills and knowledge to reverse symptoms
- Develop a mindset that age is a number not a pre-determined health status
- Avoid using the diagnosis to describe yourself
- Focus on solutions not the problem (pro-tip start fixing your diet & you’re way ahead)!
“Don’t let a diagnosis overwhelm your ability to take action.”
Krisna Hanks
