LESSON 01
An Overview of Disease
Lesson 01: An Overview of Disease
In general, a disease is defined as an infectious or noninfectious condition that causes changes in the appearance, structure, or function of cells, tissues, organs, or systems in the human body. These changes may be observable (signs) or subjectively experienced by the patient (symptoms). Diseases often, but not always, have a known cause. They are not caused by injury.
Diseases are defined and classified in a number of different and overlapping ways. Massage therapists donu2019t need to know all of the intricacies of disease classifications but they do need a basic understanding of the broad categories of disease and knowledge of basic disease terminology. This information helps massage therapists understand when a disease is dangerous because it might be spread to others at a massage business, or when it requires caution for other reasons.
In this chapter, weu2019ll (A.) preview key terminology, (B.) break down a definition of disease, (C.) discuss different disease types to understand when a condition might require session adaptions, but is not contagious, and (D.) determine if a disease is contagious and might be spread to others. Weu2019ll end the chapter with some learning games (E.), and a quiz. Click on A. Terminology Preview to get started.u00a0
Having completed this chapter you will be able to meet these learning objectives:
- Define these terms: Disease, acute disease, chronic disease, etiology, idiopathic, infectious disease, pathogen, injury, signs, and symptoms.
- Match these disease terms to their written descriptions: Autoimmune disease, cancerous disease, deficiency disease, genetic disease, and metabolic disease.
- Compare and contrast diseases with injuries.
- Compare and contrast infectious diseases with noninfectious diseases.
- Explain the significance of lifestyle factors on chronic disease in the United States.
- Define these terms: Communicable, direct contact, indirect contact, droplet contact.
- Provide one example of a disease that is infectious but not communicable.