The term "internal diseases" refers to diseases of the internal organs. This includes damage to the kidneys, endocrine glands and metabolic disorders. Includes this term and any disease of the respiratory and digestive organs. For example, gastric ulcers, gastritis with various levels of acidity, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. This also includes diseases of the connective tissue system, the affected vascular system. Their treatment is carried out by a general practitioner.
Internal diseases are recognized using traditional methods of direct examination (this is a patient survey, tapping, palpating, listening, examining) and complex instrumental, biochemical and computer diagnostic methods (monitor observation, endoscopy, radionuclide diagnostics, ultrasound). In addition, the term “internal diseases” refers to the name of the discipline that studies the reason why various diseases arise and how they develop.
She also develops methods for their recognition, prevention and treatment (excluding radiation and surgical). Until the 19th century, the history of this discipline went along with the history of medicine in general. The independent sections until the indicated time were only obstetrics and surgery. Internal diseases were not divided into mental, female, children's and others. However, the beginning of the emergence of various schools and directions was laid by the “father of medicine” Hippocrates, the largest ancient Roman physician Galen, an outstanding thinker of the East Ibn Sina and other great healers of the past.
“Internal diseases” as a natural science discipline received prerequisites for development along with discoveries made in the 19th century in this field of medicine. So, at this time, pathologists found that certain diseases are also characterized by certain morphological changes in the corresponding organs. There were advances in pathological physiology. She studied the patterns by which painful processes arise, and their course. New methods were being developed for researching the patient at that time (listening, tapping, etc.). Bacteriology discovered previously unknown pathogens.
In Russia, the foundations of the discipline were laid by A. A. Ostroumov, M. Ya. Mudrov, G. A. Zakharyin, S. P. Botkin. Its further development was based on the achievements of such sciences as chemistry, physics and biology. The more knowledge was accumulated about the nature of diseases, about the methods for their recognition, and then treatment, the more this contributed to the differentiation of clinical medicine. Later, in the second half of the 19th century - at the beginning of the 20th century, neuropathology, pediatrics, psychiatry, dermatovenerology stood out in its independent sections. Currently, internal diseases, also called the clinic of internal diseases, therapy, internal medicine, remain one of the main clinical disciplines and are taught at medical institutes. In addition to the sections listed above, it includes cardiology, rheumatology, nephrology, gastroenterology, pulmonology and hematology.
This discipline provides the study of joint research and therapeutic training of a physician. Acquired skills during training can play a major role in the work of a doctor in the context of the accelerating development of medical equipment. The nature of internal medicine has changed significantly due to the variety of drugs and the possibilities of new methods of treatment (defibrillation of the heart, the introduction of drugs into arteries or cavities, plasmapheresis). All this allowed the specialist to actively influence the course of the disease. These features, in turn, entailed problems in the field of ethics and law. They relate both to the relationship between the patient and his doctor, and to the extent to which therapeutic and diagnostic intervention is allowed.