He alth is an important value of life. Only thanks to complete physical and mental well-being can a person achieve his goals, be truly happy, and experience the joy of communicating with the world. Unfortunately, he alth is not always the norm. It worsens due to pathological processes in the body.
Deciphering the term
A pathological process is a sequence of various reactions occurring naturally in the human body, manifesting itself in the form of functional, metabolic and morphological disorders. They appear in response to the damaging effect of some pathogenic factor.
Pathological processes are divided into 2 types: local (they are characterized by direct contact of the pathogenic factor with tissues) and generalized (they occur in the human body, regardless of the area affected by pathogenic factors). The latter progress according to 3 phases:
- during the first phase, the pathogenic factor penetrates from the inoculation siteinto 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
Reactions of the body, arising in response to the influence of any factors and causing a violation of the normal course of life processes, have certain characteristics. These include:
- versatility;
- autochthonous;
- stereotypical.
A set of processes or a certain pathological process is what underlies absolutely any disease. That is why, in relation to reactions, such a characteristic as universality is used. Autochthonousness is also inherent in pathological processes. This term indicates the ability of the pathological process to develop regardless of whether the causative factor is acting. It also uses such a characteristic as stereotyping. It means that certain features are inherent in the pathological process. They do not change due to the reasons that caused the process, or the location of its localization.
The difference between a pathological process and a disease
Many consider the terms “disease” and “pathological process” to be synonymous. This is not true. Here are the main differences between the concepts:
- The disease develops due to a specific reason. This is not typical for a pathological process. It can be caused by a variety of reasons.
- When a person is ill, the adaptability of the body decreases and performance deteriorates. These changes may not be characteristic of the pathological process.
- A disease is often characterized by a combination of various pathological processes.
- 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
Any person is constantly affected by various pathogenic environmental factors (biological, physical, etc.). Some of them are neutralized by the body's defenses. Those factors that cannot be overcome cause a pathological process.
Reactions of the body are characterized by progression, so the following stages of the pathological process can be conditionally distinguished:
- appearance;
- development;
- exodus.
First stage
The occurrence of any reaction of the body is explained by the impact of a specific stimulus. Whether a person has suspicious symptoms depends on the following factors:
- impact force;
- frequency and duration of irritation;
- individual reaction of the human body.
A pathological process is something that can begin in the human body due to the ingress of pathogens or mechanical impactgreat strength. However, the influence of a group of factors is most often observed.
Second stage
Each pathological process has its own specific progression. Despite this, it is possible to single out the general principles by which development takes place:
- Vicious circles. This principle means that the pathological process is completed. However, its result reactivates or reinforces one of the previous links. Because of this, the pathological process begins again and repeats until the circle opens.
- The transition of protective reactions into pathogenetic ones. Some sanogenetic mechanisms carry a serious threat to the body. For example, the immune system protects a person from pathogens. 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 performance of a certain function becomes more important than the performance of other functions (i.e., a temporarily dominant focus of excitation appears in the central nervous system, giving a certain direction to human behavior). 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 can intervene in the developing pathological process. In this case, the outcome is, as a rule, recovery, restoration of the original state. If the body's defenses fail, then as a result of the pathological process, a disease develops.
Each ailment lasts for a certain time. Acute diseases last about 4 days, acute - from 5 to 14 days, subacute - 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;
- tumor, etc.
The most striking example is a pathological inflammatory process. With it, a protective-adaptive reaction to the elimination of the pathogenic factor begins to act in the human body. Inflammation provokes a change in normal blood circulation, an increase in vascular permeability. There are clinical symptoms such as local fever, redness, pain.
Such a pathological process as hypoxia means 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, which provokes irreversible changes in the human body.
Fever is common. This is a pathological process, which is characterized by a temporary increase in body temperature. It also has other phenomena that are characteristic of infectious pathologies (for example, fever attacks).
Another example of a pathological process is a tumor. This is a neoplasm that appears with the growth of tissues with atypical cells. Tumors are polyetiological. 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, pathological processes are different concepts, but very important ones. Each person should know what reactions can occur in his body due to exposure to various stimuli, what the outcome of all the changes that may be.
