Health is an important value in life. Only thanks to the complete physical and mental well-being can a person achieve his goals, be truly happy, and enjoy the joy of communicating with the world. Unfortunately, health is not always normal. It worsens due to pathological processes in the body.
Deciphering the term
A pathological process is a sequence of various reactions that occurs naturally in the human body, manifested in the form of functional, metabolic and morphological disorders. They appear in response to the damaging effect of any pathogenic factor.
Pathological processes are divided into 2 types: local (direct contact of the pathogenic factor with tissues is inherent in them) and generalized (they occur in the human body, regardless of the zone of exposure to pathogenic factors). The latter progress in accordance with 3 phases:
- during the first phase, the pathogenic factor from the site of inoculation penetrates the human body;
- during the second phase, the pathogenic factor is concentrated in organs and tissues;
- during the third phase, called toxicodynamic, disturbances in the functioning of organs and tissues of the human body develop.
Characteristics of pathological processes
The body's reactions that occur in response to the influence of any factors and cause a violation of the normal course of life processes, certain characteristics are inherent. These include:
- universality;
- autochthonism;
- stereotype.
A set of processes or a specific pathological process is what lies at the basis of absolutely any disease. That is why, with respect to reactions, such a characteristic as universality is used. More pathological processes are inherent autochthonous. This term indicates the ability of the pathological process to develop regardless of whether the causative factor acts. A characteristic such as stereotyping is also used. It means that the pathological process has certain features. They do not change due to the reasons that caused the process, or the place of its localization.
The difference between the pathological process and the disease
Many consider the terms “disease” and “pathological process” synonymous. This is actually not the case. Here are the main differences between the concepts:
- A disease develops due to a specific cause. For the pathological process, this is not characteristic. It can be caused by a variety of reasons.
- With a disease in a person, the adaptability of the body decreases and performance decreases. For the pathological process, these changes may not be characteristic .
- A combination of various pathological processes is often characteristic of a disease.
- The pathological process can occur in different parts of the body. Because of this, the clinical picture of diseases is changing.
Stages inherent in the pathological process
Various pathogenic environmental factors (biological, physical, etc.) constantly influence any person. Some of them are neutralized by the body's defenses. Those factors that cannot be overcome cause a pathological process.
The reactions of the body are characterized by progression, therefore, the following stages of the pathological process can be distinguished conditionally:
- occurrence;
- development;
- Exodus.
First stage
The occurrence of any reaction of the body is explained by the action of a specific stimulus. The appearance of suspicious symptoms in a person depends on the following factors:
- impact forces;
- the frequency and duration of the annoying effect;
- individual reaction of the human body.
A pathological process is something that can begin in the human body due to the ingestion of pathogens or the mechanical impact of a large force. However, the influence of a group of factors is most often observed.
Second stage
Each pathological process has its own specifics in progression. Despite this, we can distinguish the general principles by which development occurs:
- Vicious circles. This principle means that the pathological process is completed. However, its result re-activates or enhances one of the preceding links. Because of this, the pathological process starts again and repeats until the circle opens.
- Transition of protective reactions to pathogenetic. Some sanogenetic mechanisms pose a serious threat to the body. For example, the immune system protects a person from pathogenic microorganisms. However, in some cases, immunity begins to act against its own cells and tissues (a similar pathological process occurs with allergies, autoimmune processes).
- Pathological dominant. Before deciphering this principle, it is worth defining the term “physiological dominant”. This is the moment when the fulfillment of a certain function becomes more important than the fulfillment of other functions (i.e., a temporarily dominant focus of excitement appears in the central nervous system, giving a person a certain orientation). In some diseases, a pathological dominant is formed. It becomes the center of self-maintenance and progression of the current state.
Third stage
Effective sanogenetic (protective) mechanisms may interfere with the developing pathological process . In this case, the outcome, as a rule, is recovery, restoration of the initial state. If the defenses of the body can not cope, then the disease develops as a result of the pathological process.
Each ailment proceeds for a certain time. The most acute illnesses last for about 4 days, the acute diseases last from 5 to 14 days, and the subacute diseases last from 15 to 40 days. After the disease, either recovery occurs, or the transition to a chronic form and the development of complications, or death.
What can be attributed to pathological processes
Pathological processes in the body can be as follows:
- inflammation;
- hypoxia;
- fever;
- swelling, etc.
The most striking example is a pathological inflammatory process. With it, a protective and adaptive reaction to the elimination of a pathogenic factor begins to act in the human body. Inflammation provokes a change in normal blood circulation, an increase in vascular permeability. Clinical symptoms such as local fever, redness, and pain appear.
Such a pathological process as hypoxia indicates oxygen deficiency. It is inherent in various conditions and diseases. For example, at the end of any fatal illness, regardless of the causes that caused it, acute oxygen deficiency occurs. Dying is always accompanied by total hypoxia, provoking irreversible changes in the human body.
Often there is a fever. This is a pathological process characterized by a temporary increase in body temperature. With it, other phenomena inherent in infectious pathologies are also observed (for example, heat attacks).
Another example of a pathological process is a tumor. This is a neoplasm that appears during the growth of tissues with atypical cells. Tumors are polyetiologic. This means that they arise due to the influence of various factors of a physical, chemical, biological nature.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that diseases, the pathological process are different concepts, but very important. Each person should know what reactions can occur in his body due to exposure to various stimuli, what may be the outcome of all the changes that occur.