Overview: Physiology to Pathophysiology and disease
By and large, we remain healthy, provided, we take due care of our diet, exercise and nurture healthy attitude towards life and living. However, at times, physiological balance gets lost and disease may start.
Trivial alterations induced by number of factors like change in diet, exertion, weather change etc. may give rise to transient complaints like itching here and there, reduction in appetite, heavy head and many more. They may not have any diagnostic significance. It is possible that they are associated with some disturbance at biomolecular level. These are called as indisposition and may not need treatment. However, in certain cases one has to treat it, if it does not come down with proper precautions like rest, diet control etc.
Sometimes, we find certain tendencies or symptom complex which does not fall into the category of disease. e.g. tendency of constipation, headache, acidity by going out in the sun etc. Such symptoms provide information as to the propensity of organ affection and the type of changes. e.g. in second case stomach and head are the organs while excess acid secretion is the process. Most of these affections respond to Homoeopathic treatment and need to be treated if found troublesome.
To put any disturbance in the category of disease, one has to know following about that entity.
- Locations or the parts involved
- Pathophysiology
- Symptoms and signs
- Laboratory findings
- Natural course of the disease
- Diagnosis and differential diagnosis
- Treatment
- Prognosis
- Complications
- Sequalae
A disease is a phenomenon occurring over a time. It involves changes in functioning of the organs from normal to abnormal which we call as pathophysiology. By and large the changes start at functional level leading to structural alterations. These alterations and associated factors can be considered under pathophysiology. In Homoeopathy, we have expanded its meaning as you will notice further.
Following processes, either singly or otherwise, affect the functioning of our body.
- Inflammation
- Immunological alterations
- Excess growth
- Metabolism
- Degeneration
- Genetic considerations
In Homoeopathy, personal and family history of the disease, age, sex, temporal dimensions of the disease need to be considered. Neuromuscular disturbances manifested by Relaxation / paresis / paralysis or twitching / convulsions are also taken into account.
Pathophysiology from Homoeopathic standpoint
Pathophysiology is one of the important considerations in totality and drug selection. For example certain drugs like Belladona, Aconite cover congestive stage of inflammation, while drugs like Hepar Sulph., Calc. Sulph. come at the stage of suppuration. Most of the heavy metals produce degeneration. Chamomilla and Aethusa Cynapium come for consideration especially in children while Murex and Sepia for female affections.