Concept in Definition ABC

The etiology It is a term widely used in medicine to refer to the cause of a certain phenomenon or disease. This word originates from the Greek, derives from the word aitiology which means "to give a reason to." In this way, etiology corresponds to giving the reason for a fact.

A wide use is also observed in philosophical contexts, because for the philosophy, a discipline who devotes his efforts to the study of those causes that give rise to things. For example, the etiology of a problem such as the origin of man, this discipline will take care of that, to break down the different variants and edges that have to do with the subject of man.

In both and on the other hand, in medicine, etiology is that branch that deals exclusively with studying the causes of the different diseases that affect human beings.

From the beginnings of medicine, with Hippocrates at the head, until today, every time a person enters any doctor's office, he will question him about three fundamental questions, what is wrong with him, that is, what motivated his visit to the doctor, then since when that discomfort invades him and finally to what he attributes this disease. Obviously, the resolution of this "questionnaire" will be very useful to the doctor, after examining the patient, to be able to determine with more elements, first what condition it is then, the most important thing, the reason for it, clearly, to prevent the patient in question from falling back into a situation that led him to contract the disease that it affects.

Throughout the history of medicine, the doctors of yesteryear argued and argued, whether it is just one factor or several that come together simultaneously to give rise to a disease. Some spoke of factors environmental, external and internal, but this question was always discussed. But with the advances in the field of biology during the nineteenth century, more emphasis was placed on developing new and accurate instruments of diagnosis, it was reached the certain conclusion that the causes of a disease can be very varied.

Main types of etiology

The etiology or cause of health disorders are highly variable. Its main forms are as follows:

Infectious It refers to the origin of diseases in relation to the colonization of a certain structure by microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi.

Tumor Tumor etiology corresponds to the symptoms and manifestations that are related to the presence of tumors, they will either be malignant or benign.

Auto immune. A less common cause of diseases is autoimmune disorders in which antibodies develop against certain tissues, leading to their deterioration. Disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus are autoimmune diseases.

Degenerative. Some diseases are the product of tissue wear, this is related to processes such as aging. The main degenerative disease that affects people is osteoarthritis, a disorder in which the cartilage that covers the joints deteriorates.

Environmental. This group includes diseases that occur as a result of exposition to physical, chemical, biological factors that can affect health. This includes poisoning, poisoning, radiation injuries, as well as exposure to cold or heat.

Post-traumatic. A common cause of health conditions is trauma from falls and blows, these will have consequences that are directly related to their severity.

Labor or occupational. The postures and efforts that a person carries out in relation to the execution of their work activity can cause injuries that are known as occupational diseases. This etiology also includes occupational accidents.

Unknown etiology

Although the medical sciences have great advances that allow to carry out the diagnosis of diseases from their symptoms, It is possible that in some discomforts or disorders its cause or origin cannot be found despite being adequately and fully studied. In these cases we speak of unknown etiology.

As usual, disorders of unknown etiology are called idiopathic. An example of this is the appearance of diseases in which the cause that gave rise to them cannot be established, This includes various disorders such as type I diabetes, lupus, autoimmune hepatitis, and various types of diarrhea chronicle.

Topics in Etiology