What is Disease?Disease: Abnormality of structure or function

of a part, organ, or system.

Effects of a disease may be felt by a person or observed by others

What is health?Not simply the absence of diseaseLiving a well rounded, healthy lifestyleTotal picture: physical and mental health

Terminology:Idopathic: cause not known

Etiology: cause/origin

Iatrogenic: results from the adverse effects of treatment including drug treatment or surgery

Epidemic: many people within an area with the same disease

Pandemic: a disease prevalent throughout the whole world (Pan = world) Example AIDS

Terminology (cont.)Communicable: a disease that can be

transmitted from one person to another

Incidence: How frequently the disease occurs within a population and the tendency of a disease to affect one group over another

Severity LevelsAcute: sudden and severe but usually short

durationChronic: gradual onset, less severe, but lasts

longerTerminal: “end stage of disease”

Categories of Disease: 1. Infection2. Degenerative3. Nutritional4. Metabolic5. Immune6. Neoplasms 7. Psychiatric

1. Ex: strep throat2. Ex: osteoarthritis3. Ex: rickets4. Ex: diabetes5. Ex: AIDS6. Ex: tumors/cancer 7. Ex: Depression

Just a quick note on Cancer:Types

Malignant (bad)Benign (not so bad)

Immune surveillance: ability of immune system to find and destroy abnormal cellsImmunotherapy: stimulating immune system to

treat cancer

Predisposing Causes of DiseaseAge

When we are younger and as we age our immune system is incapable of fighting disease

GenderMen more susceptible to heart disease before age 45

HeredityFamily history

Living conditions/habitshygiene

Physical/chemical changePreexisting illness

Weakened immune systemEmotional disturbance

Psychiatric disorder also stress can weaken immune system

Treatment of disease:Onset of diseaseSymptoms/signs (s/s): conditions of the disease,

noted by patientWhat’s the difference between (b/t) a sign and a

symptom?Symptoms are conditions of disease noted by the

patientSigns are the evidence the physician or other

healthcare professional can observe Syndrome: characteristic group of symptoms that

accompany a diseaseDiagnosis – given by doctorPrognosis: prediction of probable outcomeTreatment/therapy

Types of treatment: Conventional

DoctorsMedicationsurgery

Alternative/ComplementaryNaturopathy: helping people

heal by developing healthy lifestyles

Chiropractic: correct misalignment for treatment(tx) of musculoskeletal disorders

Acupuncture: chinese method of inserting needles into pressure points to relieve pain or promote healing

Biofeedback: teaching people to control involuntary responses (heart rate,balance etc.) by means of electronic devices that provide feedback

Herbal remediesDifferent from homeopathic Use of plant-derived remediesNot regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug

Administration)