The Importance of Disease Diagnosis

p>The etiological concept of diseases and thediseases, but are grouped together due to some
methodology of treatment varies among thecommon features such as pathological or etiological
different systems of medicine. However, the modefeatures.
of disease diagnosis (Nosological diagnosis) is commonWhen a person comes to the doctor for the first
for all systems. It is a fact that the close associationtime, immediate disease diagnosis may not be
between disease diagnosis and remedial diagnosispossible due to various reasons. However, considering
prevailed in Modern medicine may not be seen inthe presenting clinical features and history given by
other holistic systems, however, diagnosis is havingthe patient, the doctor can come to a provisional
its own importance even in other systems. Thedisease diagnosis. After doing the laboratory
mode of treatment may be either holistic treatment,investigations, the final diagnosis is done by correlating
specific treatment, symptomatic treatment andthe clinical findings with investigation reports. However
general life support to the patient. Modern medicinethe treatment is not kept in pending till the final
gives more importance to the specific treatment,diagnosis, especially in case of life threatening
whereas, systems like Ayurveda, Homoeopathy,diseases such as diphtheria, wherein the treatment
Siddha, Unani, Chinese medicine, Naturopathy etc. givehas to be started immediately when the disease is
more importance to the holistic concept ofsuspected, because, if we wait for the lab reports to
treatment, i. e. remedy section by considering thecome, the patient may be critical. Some recent
physical, mental and emotional characters and lifelaboratory tests help in early diagnosis, but
situation of the sick individual.unavailability of sophisticated labs doing such tests is
However, in these systems also, disease diagnosis isa major deficiency faced by many countries.
equally important, because, under certain situations,The development of science and technology has
the functioning of the affected organ or the systemmade a revolution in medical science. Now the
of the body has to be backed up. The patient alsoconcept of disease diagnosis done only on the basis
may require some specific type of support, for whichof clinical examination is outdated. It is now under the
the organ remedies are to be deployed. Apart fromcustody of some sophisticated machines and
that, disease diagnosis is important for planning thelaboratory techniques, a few out of them pose more
disease control measures, prognosis, specialrisk to the health. But, the noteworthy point is, under
precautions, to know the life threatening situations,all lab reports, a disclaimer is written as "correlate
prevention of spreading of disease to others.with clinical findings", which emphasizes the
Diagnosis is very essential for statistics, research andimportance of case taking and clinical examination
also to fulfill the academic interests. Above all, due todone by the doctor. In this era, wherein
some medico-legal reasons, the doctor should knowdoctor-patient relationship is disrupted, we come
the detailed health status of his patient. Due to allacross many patients saying that the doctor has
these reasons, disease diagnosis is a must,abruptly prescribed the medicine or referred for lab
irrespective of the system of treatment given to thetest without asking much questions and doing any
patient.sort of clinical examination.
Disease diagnosis and remedial diagnosis can beThe recent studies conducted at Mc Master
considered as the two sides of the same coin, hence,university on the disease diagnosis is remarkable.
both are having equal importance. Disease diagnosis isThey found that the name of the disease creates
done by correlating the signs and symptoms of themore panic among the patients. For example, a
patients (clinical features) with the information givenperson having sour eructation may not feel bad when
by the bystanders and the lab investigation reports.the doctor says that he has acidity, on the other
On certain situations, there may be some difficulty inhand, he may get embarrassed if the doctor tells him
making a diagnosis, because, a number of diseasesthat he has Gastro-esophageal reflex disease, which
are having almost similar clinical features. Moreover,is the medical terminology for recurrent burning
rarely occurring diseases or a newly emerged diseaseeructations. The same thing happens in most of the
may not be identified easily, especially by a generalcancer patients; once the disease is diagnosed as
practitioner. Under such circumstances, a specialist'scancer, the patients mental and emotional status
opinion may be needed. Very rarely, a team ofstarts deteriorating. But, the doctor cant hide the
doctors are involved in the process of diagnosis.disease from the patient due to several medical and
It is not possible to name each and every diseaselegal issues. The better alternative is to secretly tell
we come across in our day to day practice. As perthe diagnosis to the bystanders of the patient.
the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), aFor an accurate disease diagnosis, the cooperation
notable percentage of diseases can't be named. Infrom the patient and his family members is very
such cases, a diagnosis is possible in spite of havingessential. Each and every problem felt by the patient
several health related symptoms in the patient. Sinceshould be told to the doctor. Some silly matter for
the patient is suffering, he has to be treatedthe patient may be a vital point for a diagnosis and
symptomatically. Some symptoms or conditions aretreatment. Similarly, symptoms of long duration may
wrongly understood as diseases by the laymen. Forbe ignored by some patients. Purposeful hiding of
example, clinical manifestations like jaundice, fever,symptoms can be dangerous. Some patients do not
vomiting, headache, malaise etc are not diseases; buttell the doctor about the treatment he had taken
clinical manifestations of some diseases. The namingpreviously. Frequent change of doctor (doctor
of diseases is done on several basis. Most of theshopping) can also cause difficulties. During
diseases are named after the person who inventedconsultation, patients habits, life situations, characters,
that particular disease (Buerger's disease, Alzheimer'sfood and bowel habits, relationship with others etc
disease, Weil's disease), some diseases on the basisshould be told. The reports of previous treatment
of area where the disease is common or identifiedand investigations should be told, which may save the
for the first time (African sleeping sickness, Madhuratime needed for a diagnosis. Hence always ask for a
foot, Japanese encephalitis), on the basis of somedischarge summary while getting discharged from any
peculiarity of the symptoms (Chikungunya), or on thehospitals. While consulting a doctor, always take one
basis of the organism responsible for the infectionperson who knows about the patient. The patient
(Falsiparum malaria, Amoebic dysentery, Bacillarycan also note down his symptoms before going for a
dysentery), or on the basis of the affected organconsultation, so that he will not forget to tell his
(Myocarditis, Nephritis, Appendicitis), on the basis ofsymptoms completely. In this busy life, there is a
cause(Alcoholic hepatitis, Wool-sorter's disease), ontrend that instead of patient going to the doctor, he
the basis of age (Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Senilesends somebody to the doctor for a "consultation".
dementia), on the basis of pathology(MixedAlso there is an increase of people preferring
connective tissue disease, Mucopolyscaccharidosis)etc.over-the-counter purchase of drugs without a
If a group of specific signs and symptoms are foundprescription.
in an individual, it is called syndrome (EdwardWhen a patient dies or becomes serious during the
syndrome, Down syndrome, Laurence-mooncourse of treatment, the next step is to file a suit
syndrome). Nowadays, we hardly come across aagainst the doctor or by attacking the doctors and
patient having a single disease, whereas most ofhospitals, as a result of an emotional outbreak and a
patients are having a list of diseases such aspreconceived idea that it was due to medical
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, idiopathicnegligence. Nowadays this is a common story in most
hypertension, acid peptic disease, senile dementia,of the news papers. By promoting the doctor-patient
degenerative joint disease etc. Many diseases arerelation ship (which is deteriorating nowadays), and
classified under certain group of disorders. Foralso by going back to the "outdated" family doctor
example: Degenerative joint disorders, Inflammatoryconcept, we can solve most of the health related
bowel disorders, Psychosomatic diseases, Life styleissues.
disorders etc. Here, each group includes several