Illness Definition
Google purportedly ranks the "best" (LOL) content in the world, so let's again first look what Google suggests to anyone interested "what is illness?":
And illness definition:
Once we say goodbye to the imprecise, contradictory, ambiguous terms that both the medical profession and the general public haphazardly use, we will instead use clear and consistent medical definitions where we can.
And so then we will revert to elusive interchangeable surrogates like
- condition
- illness
- sickness
- ailment
- health problem
- health issue
- etc
only when we don't know or don't care(??) what we are dealing with:
Clear terminology. Just like we do in common parlance every day!
- You don't ever say: "I am using a vehicle to get to work." - If the vehicle is a car you will say "I go to work by car". And if the vehicle is a moped, you will say "I use a moped to get to work", or possibly you boast "I take a motorbike to work".
- You don't say "I rarely surf the web with my mobile phone/ smart phone/ cell phone" - if you have an iPhone. Right?
There is no argument to be made to continue to be vague and elusive and contradictory where we can be clear and precise and consistent.
Using core medical terminology right - in particular by the medical profession(!) - is SO MUCH more important than the vehicle or phone that you use!
Because misunderstanding say
can lead to anything from failed, costly treatments to early death. Indeed.
And frankly, it is embarassing when a physician throws around different terms like "condition", "disease", and "disorder" within the same sentence, speaking of the same illness! And worse, it actually is a defect!
It cannot be all, at the same time, can it?
Nor do circumstances change within the second that we speak it. Worse, WRITE it!
It is embarassing.
And likewise, it is embarassing when top-rated physicians are using the same term for totally different conditions:
A clear mind requires clear language!
Even worse for the physician, when the patient has put brains into it and knows how to word the difference of what is different, and so will routinely reserve each term for when it is applicable.
Worse still, if the physician then eludes to "I did not speak as medical professional, I used words that likely you understand".
How can anyone understand anyone if we are contradictory within the same sentence, speaking of the same "condition", of the same "illness", but swap words faster than we breathe!?
So, once we say goodbye to the imprecise, contradictory, ambiguous terms that both the medical profession and the general public haphazardly use ...
- we will speak of disease when our case knowledge suggests it is a disease
- we will speak of disorder when our case knowledge suggests it is a disorder
- we will speak of defect when our case knowledge suggests it is a defect
- and of syndrome only when a symptom or rather a set of symptoms may reliably identify a defect, disorder, or disease, but we cannot yet specify or classify it more precisely.
- And we will speak of a condition or illness or sickness or similarly elusive concepts only when we don't know what it is.
The same clear terminology we will favor for symptom, trigger, and cause, of course. Particularly when we WRITE - whether an article, thesis, study, medication package insert, whatever.
Makes sense?
Of course it does.
Also be aware:
- Many people and dogs too have some kind of defect, and yet despite their minor impairment of an organ, body structure, or body function they consider themselves healthy - and that's all that matters.
- More so, all people and all dogs too have some kind of disorder, and yet oftentimes neither the people nor the dogs are aware and others don't care: they consider themselves healthy, at least in regards to the minor disorder.
- Likewise, all people and all dogs too have some kind of disease, though many aren't even aware, and no one would care: In particular in the gastrointestinal tract of every human being and dog too permanently coexist pathogens!
- But most times without subjugation, hence why we people don't consider ourselves or the dog "sick" just for the pathogenic occupation (infection).
- However, upon subjugation the pathogenic occupation may show with symptoms, and it is now that we people consider us "sick" and speak of disease.
Well hopefully, namely if we aim to be precise.
While others will still have to speak elusively of condition, illness, sickness, or whatever - documenting they haven't got a clue.
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