Notes why do we fall ill

Hey there! We receieved your request. The activities performed inside our body by the internal organs are all interconnected. For instance, the heart always forms of the blood in the body, the brain always thinks, the kidney filters out waste from our body and so on.

If anyone of these activities stops, this would affect the whole functionality of our body. It is a state of being well so that one can perform physical, social and mental functions properly. For Example , we say a person is healthy if they can perform their day to day tasks very well.

Figure 1: What is health? Yes, we cannot achieve health solely on our own. Every organism in this world depends upon another or the environment for their better health. We always stress upon the fact that the environment surrounding us should be healthy otherwise it may lead to harmful diseases. Therefore, we can say that public cleanliness is an important factor for the better health of people in society.

Another important factor for proper health is food. Now, we can have food only if we have the money to buy it and for that, we need to work. Therefore we can say that good economic conditions of society and employment are needed for better health.

Lastly, we can stay healthy if we are living a tension free life. How can we expect a healthy environment around us if everyone keeps on ill-treating each other? Therefore, we can say that a good social environment is required for better health. A disease is not caused by any external injury but can be caused by an external factor like germs. Figure 2: Healthy and Disease-Free. A disease is associated with symptoms. In other words, our body shows certain indications with which we can assume that we may be suffering from a disease.

Any of these functions are disturbed, we can say that something is wrong within our body or something has changed in it. This is a symptom of getting a disease. The doctors often look for the signs of a disease in order to find out the exact problem. These signs, unlike the symptoms, are more definite indication of a disease. Sometimes laboratory tests are also done in order to find a disease. It does not cause major effect on general health.

Example: Cough, dysentry. It causes major effect on general health. Example: Elephantiasis, heart disease, tuberculosis. Chronic diseases take relatively a long period of time hence they are likely to affect our general health as well.

These are the actual causes that are responsible for a disease. These causes can be infectious as well as non-infectious. For Example Poor diet, Unhealthy lifestyle, Polluted environment etc. Congenital diseases are present since birth. For eg hole in heart of an infant.

Acquired Diseases occur after birth. Based on their ability to spread from one individual to another, Acquired diseases are of two types:. They lead to infectious disease and can affect the whole community as they are transferable from one person to another.

They lead to non-infectious diseases and do not affect the whole community as they are non-transferable from one person to another. Transmission of infection occurs through direct contact or some medium air, water, vectors. Transmission is absent, However hereditary diseases are transmitted from parent to offspring. Community hygiene is ineffective in reducing the incidence of non-infectious diseases. The pathogens or microbes that cause infectious diseases are also called as Infectious Agents.

Figure 3: Infectious Agents. If we understand the characteristics we can treat the diseases caused by them in a better way.

We can find out which medicine would work on which infectious agent. Some common characteristics of infectious agents are:. Antibiotics are generally used to block the growth of bacteria. The bacteria cells grow by creating a cell wall that protects them. Penicillin is an antibiotic that prevents the growth of the cell wall and hence bacteria die easily. Penicillin is used for fighting against different kinds of bacteria. These animals that act as an intermediate between disease causing germs and people are called vectors.

Generally, the point of entry decides where they will go. For instance, any microbe that enters through the nose is likely to settle at the lungs. This can also be seen through the signs and symptoms of a disease as only those organs and tissues issues seem affected where these microbes enter. Inflammation — Our body has an immune system in which it creates the cells that can fight against the disease-causing germs. This process of recruiting cells to kill the infectious agents present in our body is called Inflammation.

The inflammation process shows different effects on our body such as fever or swelling. Hence, we can say that the likelihood we are going to be affected by the disease is determined by the immune system of our body. By taking medicine to reduce the common symptoms such as fever or pain and hence reducing the disease. Antibiotics commonly work by blocking the biochemical pathways that are important for bacteria.

Thus these inhibit the growth of bacteria, hamper the metabolism and kill them. Antibiotics do not work on viruses because viruses do not use the biochemical path and use host cell machinery for making proteins. However, the most effective way to treat viral infections and disease is vaccination as it can prevent a person from getting the disease in the first place.

They are used for diseases caused by bacteria. Antibiotics do not work against viral infections as the viruses do not have their own biochemical mechanisms but depend upon that of the host. Principles of treatment 1. To reduce the effects of the diseases. By taking medicines to bring down the effects of the disease like fever, pain, etc. Principles of Prevention 1. General method:. For air-born microbes we can prevent exposure by avoiding overcrowded places.

For water-borne microbes we can prevent exposure by not using contaminated water. Our immune system plays an important role in fighting against the microbes that enter our body. So, proper nourishment or healthy diet that includes all the necessary nutrients as well as vitamins and minerals is necessary for better functioning of our immune system.

Specific method It involves the prevention method directed against a particular disease. What is Vaccination? Next time when the same microbe enters our body the immune system responds with greater vigour which eliminates the infection more quickly than the first time.

So, immunisation is done to prevent diseases. Vaccines to prevent many diseases are now available for a whole range of diseases of the public health programme of childhood immunisation for preventing infectious diseases is run by government. Children are vaccinated against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, polio etc. Evidence-based clinical guidelines for immigrants and refugees July 25, - cmaj.

Monika Mehan. Sudarshan S K. Dan Muntoiu. Pradeep Kumar. Hritvik Gautam. Marina Mititelu. Tapas Banerjee. Satyaram Bhat. Nguyen Chuyen. Syeda Muneeba. Shubhi Vaivhare. Aiman Tymer. Ani Fran Solar. As ISO Ani Ioana.