These Ancient Diseases Still Haven't Been Cured

Modern medicine is so much better than what was available to ancient peoples that it inspires phrases like "miracles of modern medicine." Nonetheless, it still hasn't figured out everything. Some problems have been with humanity for a long time and are still not cured.

The Common Cold

Generally speaking, modern medicine has a better track record of treating bacterial infections than viral ones. This is part of why the modern viral disease HIV/AIDS has proven to be so difficult to treat. The common cold is often caused by rhinoviruses. Although it is not usually serious, this frequent cause of low grade misery costs people time off from work, missed deadlines and money for symptom management. Even with billions of cases annually, doctors still don't know how to cure it. Prevention is he best medicine here. Do your best to avoid being exposed to others who have a cold.

Cancer

There are many different kinds of cancer. Some of them are more easily treated than others. But there is no cure. Even with the best case scenarios, there is a risk of death and of recurrence. Furthermore, the treatments can be terrible to endure and can leave you permanently impaired. If caught early, your odds of fully recovering with minimal impairment are good. For this reason, it is wise to get regular checkups for things that could be cancer. The earlier you catch it, the better your overall prognosis.

Polio

The proper name for this disease is poliomyelitis. Since that is a mouthful, it is typically shortened to polio. Like the common cold or HIV/AIDS, this is another infection caused by a virus. Although we do have effective vaccines that have largely eliminated it from many developed countries, it continues to harm people in many parts of the world. Most of its victims are in South Asia or Africa and are under the age of five. It can attack the central nervous system and lead to paralysis and permanent impairment. Although we have a good track record of preventing it, we still do not know how to cure it once it has been caught.

Asthma

Asthma is an incurable lung disease. Sufferers are prone to inflammation, chest tightness, wheezing, coughing attacks and difficulty getting enough air. Attacks can be triggered by external factors, such as pollution, smoke, pollen or exercise. As air pollution has become more widespread, its incidence has gone up. This is especially true in underprivileged neighborhoods. It can be managed with medication and lifestyle, but there is no cure. 

Diabetes

Diabetes is the medical term for high blood sugar. In addition to Type 1 and Type 2, there are also odd variations, such as Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes (CFRD). If it is not properly controlled, it can have very serious complications. Current state of the art is trying to delay onset and trying to manage it better. Dietary changes and medication are both useful for delaying the onset and for management. New breakthroughs in management are often in the news. There is no expectation of a cure any time soon.

Even with modern medicine, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound a cure. Some things, like the common cold, cancer, polio, asthma and diabetes, remain incurable.