The word disease etymologically comes from the Latin "infirmĭtas" lexically composed by the Latin prefix "in" which suggests negation, in addition to the particle "firm" of the adjective "firmus" which means "strong" and the Latin suffix "itat" which means "Abstraction or quality". The concept of indicates that this is a condition suffered by the living being, which consists of the change in the normal state of its health, that is, it is an anomaly that the organism of an individual presents and a change in the state of health occurs. of the same.
What is disease
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In humans, the word is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, or death for the affected person, or similar problems for those in contact with the person.
In this broader sense, it sometimes includes injuries, disabilities, disorders, syndromes, infections, isolated symptoms, deviant behaviors, and atypical variations in the structure and function of the human body. Diseases can affect people not only physically, but also emotionally, since contracting and living with a disease can alter the outlook of life for those affected.
In addition to the above, the word has several meanings but all of them related to each other. The dictionary of the Royal Academy defines this word as a more or less serious alteration or modification of health.
It is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of part or all of an organism, and that is not due to any external injury. Diseases are often interpreted as medical conditions that are associated with specific symptoms and signs. It can be caused by external factors such as pathogens or internal dysfunctions.
For example, internal dysfunctions of the immune system can produce a variety of different conditions, including various forms of immunodeficiency, hypersensitivity, allergies, and autoimmune disorders.
Death due to illness is called death from natural causes.
Its study is called pathology, which includes the study of the etiology or cause.
A patient is a person who suffers from a disease. Most of the time this term is used to refer to a human being. When a sick person receives treatment from a doctor or receives medical attention, he is also called a patient.
This word is linked to health in terms of biological processes and interactions with the social and environmental environment. Generally, the definition is an opposite health entity, the negative effect of which is due to an alteration of the system at any physiological or morphological level (emotional, molecular, physical, mental) considered normal, balanced and harmonious. We can speak of defective homeostasis.
What is a chronic disease
The time of suffering lasts more than three months, and the patient may worsen his condition as time passes. They usually occur in older adults and are often controlled, but not cured. Among the best known are heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and arthritis.
The natural history of disease
It refers to the development of events in the organism, from the moment in which the action of the etiology occurs, its causes, until it develops. Then the cure of it or death occurs. That is, it refers to what would happen to the patient if they did not receive medical treatment, when this happens it is called a clinical course.
When a doctor fully understands the natural history of the disease, he is able to confirm a diagnosis, know how he can prevent it in the future, make a prognosis and estimate the outcome that will be obtained by applying appropriate medications.
In the case of a pediatrician, he is aware of the natural history of a common cold and that it is generally within those classified as a children's disease, for this reason he knows that there is a very high probability that it is self- limiting and that the treatments that he applies do not change the duration of the symptoms, so he has to consider whether he can alleviate the symptoms with medicine, or simply wait until he heals and the symptoms disappear on their own.
Types of diseases
There are infectious, deficiency, hereditary (including genetic and non-genetic hereditary diseases) and physiological diseases. They can also be classified in other ways, such as communicable versus noncommunicable diseases. The most deadly diseases in humans are coronary artery disease (blockage of blood flow), followed by cerebrovascular disease and lower respiratory tract infections.
They can also be classified as follows:
Diseases according to their duration
They are classified into:
Sharp
They are the ones that start suddenly, they evolve quickly as well as their resolution.
Subacute
They are diseases with a duration of three to six months.
Chronicles
They start out slower and are sustained over time.
Diseases according to their distribution
It refers to the number of people affected and the geographical areas where the disease spreads. These can be:
Sporadic
It appears occasionally in the area and affects few people.
Endemic
It affects only people from the same area or population and lasts for a long time.
Epidemic
It affects a population and a large number of people who live there.
Pandemic
It is an epidemic, but it affects a large geographical area, can reach a worldwide distribution and lasts for a certain time.
Diseases according to their etiopathogenesis
It refers to the origin of the disease, that is, it is the combination of etiology and pathogenesis. For this reason, it consists of three elements, which are the aetiopathogenesis, symptoms and treatment.
Endogenous Diseases
It is a pathology caused by an alteration of the genome, this can be hereditary or not.
Exogenous Diseases
They develop by contracting bacteria that are generated outside the individual, these can be infectious and bacterial.
Environmental diseases
In epidemiology, they are diseases that can be directly attributed to environmental factors. In addition to true monogenic genetic disorders, environmental diseases can determine their development in people who are genetically predisposed to a particular disease.
Stress, physical and mental abuse, diet, exposure to toxins, pathogens, radiation, and chemicals found in almost all personal care products and cleaning products, are possible causes of a large segment of non-health conditions. hereditary.
Diseases of multifactorial etiology
They are also known by the name of polygenic and are produced by the combination of a variety of environmental factors and gene mutations on different chromosomes. They are the cause of malformations in newborns and common adult diseases, for example, arterial hypertension, arteriosclerosis, asthma, diabetes mellitus, etc.
Diseases that most affect the population
Recent studies have shown that the number of sick people will increase in the coming decades, due to the increase in the world population and the magnitude of the elderly. At present, diseases such as neck pain, depression, back pain, anemia due to lack of iron, lack of hearing due to age, among others, are very common.
Also alarming are the figures for the increase in health disorders due to diabetes (almost 136%), Alzheimer's (increased to 92%) and osteoarthritis (with an increase of 75%).
Cardiovascular diseases
They are a series of disorders of the heart and blood vessels. In general, these disorders are due to arteriosclerosis, it is caused by the presence of fat and cholesterol in the walls of the artery, this can cause the blood vessels to narrow, in addition the congestion of an artery can cause a cardiovascular accident or a heart attack.
They are considered the leading cause of death worldwide, it is estimated that between now and 2030 almost 23.6 million people could die from a cardiovascular disorder.
Obesity
It is one of the main cardiovascular risk factors. This disorder consists of having excess body fat in the body, for this reason it increases the risk of heart disease, as well as diabetes and blood pressure.
Obesity is diagnosed when body mass (BMI) is 30 or more, this is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms (Kg) by height in meters (m) squared.
The main causes of obesity are genetic influences, hormonal problems and the behavior of the person. Sometimes it can be caused by the disease called Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing syndrome and other disorders, in addition to eating disorders and inactivity or lack of physical activities in order to burn calories.
Diabetes
It is classified as a chronic disease, the main characteristic of which is a high level of sugar in the blood (glycemia). As noted above, it is one that does not heal, but with proper treatment, the patient can lead a normal life and prevent complications throughout his life.
It is caused by a disorder in the activity or production of insulin, this hormone is manufactured by the pancreas, who is in charge of passing glucose from the blood to the tissues or organs. Glucose comes from the consumption of food, it circulates through the blood and is used by the body as a source of energy.
Diseases that affect Mexicans the most
Like other countries, in Mexico the diseases that most affect its population are diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. According to research conducted by CNN Mexico, diabetes is the main disease in this country, causing around 10 million deaths a year. Lack of physical activity and being overweight caused the appearance of this disorder in the country, due to the fact that the pancreas does not work correctly, producing less insulin in the body.
Mexican workers are affected by a series of occupational diseases that deteriorate their health and are caused by situations such as stress and lack of ergonomics in their workplaces.
Purple disease
Also called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. P causes excess bruising and bleeding. This is due to very low levels of platelets, the cells responsible for blood clotting.
Purpura affects both children and adults, it is generally contracted after a viral infection and treatment is not necessary since they fully recover. Instead, the adult disease can become chronic and its recovery is long-term.
Symptoms of purpura disease
Your symptoms are:
- Superficial bleeding from the skin, with a rash appearance and a purple spot in the shape of petechiae, the most common area for its appearance on the lower legs.
- Bleeding gums or nose
- Blood in the stool and urine.
- A very heavy menstrual flow.
Lyme disease
It is produced by the bite of the black-legged tick, commonly known as the deer tick. The bacteria that cause this disease are:
- Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii cause Lyme disease in the United States.
- Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii, which are the main causes of the disease in Europe and Asia.
The most common symptoms are heart problems, inflammation of the eyes and liver, and severe fatigue.
Crohn's disease
It is of the intestinal inflammatory type. It is characterized by causing inflammation of the digestive tract, causing abdominal pain, intense diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue and malnutrition.
The inflammation of the digestive tract, caused by Crohn's, can spread to the deep layers of the affected intestinal tissue. This disease can be very painful and weaken the patient to the point of causing life-threatening complications.
Crohn's disease symptoms
Crohn's symptoms are:
- Diarrhea.
- Fatigue.
- Fever.
- Sores in the mouth
- Abdominal pain and cramps.
- Blood in the stool.
- Poor appetite and weight loss.
- Inflammation in the joints and eyes.
- Inflammation in the liver.
Celiac Disease
It is also known by the name of celiac disease or enteropathy with gluten intolerance, it produces an inflammation in the mucosa of the small intestine, due to permanent immunological intolerance to gluten from rye, barley and in some cases to oats. It affects both adults and children
Addison's disease
Also known as adrenal insufficiency, this disorder is rare and occurs when the body does not produce enough of some hormones. It occurs in people of either sex and some of its symptoms are extreme fatigue, malnutrition and weight loss, craving for salt, fainting and low blood pressure, abdominal pain, among others. The treatment that must be applied is to consume hormones to replace the missing ones.
Huntington's disease
It is a genetic or hereditary condition that produces the progressive degeneration of neurons in the brain, notably impacts the functioning of a person, causing disorders in movements, cognitive and psychiatric thoughts. It can generally appear in people between 30 to 40 years old, its appearance before or after these periods cannot be ruled out.
Hand, foot and mouth disease
It is an infection caused by a virus called Coxsackie A16, this infection can be mild but very contagious, since it often occurs in children. Its main characteristic is mouth sores and a rash on the hands and feet. One of its symptoms is fever and sore throat, there is no specific treatment.
The recommendation is to wash your hands frequently and avoid contact with people who suffer from this condition, especially in the case of children, to avoid running the risk of contagion.
Pelvic inflammatory disease
It is an inflammation in the female genital organs, it is generally produced by a sexually transmitted bacterium, it spreads from the vagina to the uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes. It is a silent disease, that is, it does not produce any symptoms or signs, so that the woman does not know she suffers from it until she has problems getting pregnant or suffering from chronic pelvic pain.
Gout disease
The definition of this specific condition is a type of arthritis, which occurs when small uric acid crystals form in the joints and tissues of the body. As a result of this there are sudden and intense pain in the joints, in addition to swelling, redness and tenderness. One of the most affected areas is the joint of the lower part of the big toe.
Lupus disease
It is a chronic and complex autoimmune disease, affects the joints, brain, skin, lungs, blood vessels and kidneys, that is, it causes inflammation and damage to the tissues of the affected organs. People with this disease have fatigue, pain and inflammation in the joints, skin rashes and fever according to the level of severity.
Chagas disease
It is a disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi which is found in the feces of triatomine insects (Reduviidae). Chagas disease is common in South America, Mexico, and Central America, although cases of this disease have been found in the southern United States.
Chagas disease can cause serious heart and intestinal problems and can go from mild or acute to chronic and long-lasting.
Paget's disease
It is a condition that attacks some bones and causes them to grow larger than normal and weak, it can also cause other health problems such as arthritis and hearing loss. It is important to note that the bones most affected are: the spine, the pelvis, the legs and the skull. Generally, the people most at risk are older men, causing pain, broken bones, and joint cartilage damage.
Kissing disease
Also known as infectious mononucleosis, transmitted by the Epstein-Barr virus, a class of herpes that is spread mainly by saliva through kissing, but can be present in food and drink. This condition can be detected through blood tests.
It is important to note that this virus can remain in the body inactive for life, and then appear again at any time, the most serious thing is that there is no cure for this disease. Some of its symptoms are: fever, throat and liver inflammation, skin rash and fever.
Disease prevention
Preventing diseases means taking actions in order to minimize, eliminate or eradicate them completely. Some afflict a society or nation and can be easily classified into three levels:
Primary level
Within this level can be located the mechanisms applied before the disease arises, of course, in order that these do not occur, these are: vaccines, prohibit the use of toxic substances in agriculture, take the necessary measures to that the air is free from contamination.
Secundary level
At this level, the objective is to prevent the symptoms from spreading and possible complications arise, clinical studies should be carried out in the appropriate health centers, and if the disease has not been cured, apply the necessary treatment as the case may be.
Tertiary level
When a pathology reaches this level, it means that it has caused serious damage, which does not allow to cure it and it is necessary to do everything possible so that the impact on the patient is minimal, trying to adjust it to their new life condition. Example of diseases: diabetes and cancer.
