Introduction to Disease

General Terminology

1. Disease - impairment of the health, condition, or normal functioning of the body.
2. Pathology - the study of disease
3. Pathophysiology - the study of the physiologic processes of a disease.
4. Pathogenesis - the pattern of development of a disease.
5. Epidemiology - the study of the occurrence, transmission, and distribution of a disease.
6. Etiology - the study of the causes of a disease.
7. Morbidity rate - the death rate for a specific region or population affected by a disease.
8. Morbidity - the ratio of people who are diseased to those who are well.
9. Endemic - term used to describe a disease affecting a community.
10. Epidemic - term used to describe a disease affecting an entire region.
11. Pandemic - term used to describe a disease affecting the entire world.
12. Diagnosis - identification of a specific disease or condition.
13. Prognosis - the expected outcome of a particular condition (including or not including various forms of treatment).
14. Acute - term used to describe a condition with an intense, sudden onset and short duration.
15. Chronic - term used to describe a condition with a less intense, long -term onset and long duration.
16. Local - confined to a specific area of the body.
17. Systemic - affecting the blood or the entire body
18. Signs - outward, observable abnormalities (fever, rash, bleeding).

Terminology

• Trauma - physical, chemical, or radioactive damage to the body.
• Infection - invasion of a pathogenic microorganism.
• Degeneration - the breakdown of body tissues, usually because of "wear and tear".
• Autoimmunity - a condition in which the body's immune system creates an immune response to destroy its own tissues.

Risk factors

Age
each age group is susceptible to certain diseases that may or may not affect any of the other age groups. For example, premature infants are prone to respiratory problems, teens are prone to mononucleosis and venereal diseases, and the elderly are prone to bone fractures.

Gender
some diseases may be limited to one gender, or at least more prevalent in one gender than in the other. For example, males develop prostate cancer and are predisposed to hemophilia and muscular dystrophy. Females are predisposed to breast cancer, urinary tract infections and lupus erythematosus.

Heredity and race
some diseases are passed down genetically through generations so that different families or ethnic groups are more prone to different diseases than other groups. For example, an African - Americans are eight times more likely to have sickle cell anemia than whites. Also, if a women has a sister, mother, or daughter who develops breast cancer, her chance of developing breast cancer doubles.

Physical exposure
exposure to the physical elements (cold, heat) can damage the body's systems. For example, prolonged or frequent exposure to the sun can lead to skin cancer.

Nutrition
Improper diets or diets deficient in certain necessary nutrients lead to disease. For example, a lack of iodine in the diet may lead to hypothyroidism or a goiter, and a lack of vitamin D may lead to osteomalacia (rickets). Diets high in cholesterol or fats predispose to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.

Congenital defects
some diseases are present from birth, For example, cleft palate and spinal bifida are both congenital defects.

Occupation
Different occupations predispose to different diseases. For example, typists and massage therapists are predisposed to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Psychogenic influences
Mental and emotional health influences overall health. Factors such a anger, own self-esteem , hard driving "type A" personality, anxiety, depression, and stressful life events have been shown to be major factors in the development and progression of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Lifestyle and habits
certain lifestyles and habits have been linked to disease. Foe example, smoking has been shown to be one of the most significant factors leading to lung cancer and heart disease.

Microorganisms

1. Virulence - the ability of an organism to cause a disease; a measure of the potency of a microorganism.

2. Aerobe - an organism that can live in the presence oxygen.

3. Anaerobe - an organism that can live without oxygen.

4. Asepsis - the state of being without infection or contamination; sterile

5. Disinfection - the process of killing microorganisms but not necessarily bacterial spores.

6. Antisepsis - the process of inhibiting microorganism growth; preventing microorganism reproduction.

7. Sterilization - the act of completely removing all living organisms, including bacterial spores.

8. Bacteria - small, single celled organisms with no nucleus; prokaryotic cells found in virtually every environment; reproduce by dividing into two daughter cells (binary fission) come in many shapes and sizes.

9. Staphylococcus and streptococcus - common spherical bacteria; part of the normal flora (normal microorganism population) of the skin, nose, mouth, and mucous membranes; may cause many infections (strep, staph, pimples, impetigo, meningitis, bronchitis as well as infections of the blood.

10. Viruses - single celled organisms covered by a protein shell; not considered true living cells; have no independent metabolic processes; contain their own genetic material (DNS or RNA); when a virus enters a living cell, the viral genes are released and used by the host cell eventually alters or destroys the cell itself.

11. Fungi - eukaryotic cells; multiply by budding and producing spores; form in dark, damp places; examples include yeasts, molds, and mushrooms.

Inflammation

Inflammation can be either acute or chronic. Acute inflammation is brought on by a nonspecific injury, has a greater degree of blood vessel involvement, and usually subsides in a relatively short time. Chronic inflammation is brought on by persisted irritation aggravation, spreads slowly, and leads to a larger amount of scar tissue buildup.

Signs of inflammation

• Redness
• Swelling
• Heat
• Pain

Problems from chronic inflammation
It is important for the massage therapist to remember that the purpose of massage in to eliminate inflammation specially, not acute inflammation. Each phase of inflammation is the natural and necessary way the body heals damages tissues. However, inflammation that becomes chronic is disruptive and damaging a needs to be stopped.

Restricted range of motion - the presence of fluid around joints prevents normal range of motion.

Adhesions - abnormal joining together of tissues surrounding organs and joints; may result from scar tissue holdup.

Excess scar tissue - scar tissue that accumulates as a result of chronic inflammation, replacing the normal active tissue; impairs the functions of the organ.

Functions of Histamine
Allergic reactions involve the release of histamine from the tissues of the upper respiratory tract, which causes the characteristic congestion, running none, and itchy eyes. Take an antihistamine blocks the effects of histamine and therefore prevents these undesired reactions by the body.

• Vasodilatation
• Increase blood vessel permeability