What is a “disease process?”

What is a “disease process?”
The definition of disease is “a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.”

The term “process” refers to “a natural or involuntary series of changes.”

Putting this all together, the definition of “disease process” is “a series of natural or involuntary changes that result in a disorder of structure or function, which produces symptoms.”

One of the things that distinguishes our treatment approach is that we address the underlying cause of the problem. After determining the underlying cause (or disease process), we treat it to alleviate the symptom (s). The term disease process could be used to explain the underlying cause of a symptom in broad terms.

Let’s take high blood pressure as an example: High blood pressure is regarded as a symptom of an underlying disease process. A person suffers from long-term emotional stress, which causes a breakdown in liver function. The liver (which is associated with stress in everyday life in Oriental medicine) may have a negative effect on the heart. This causes tension in the blood vessels, which raises the pressure (due to less elasticity) of the fluid inside the blood vessel. As a result, high blood pressure.

The above is obviously one of many potential causes of high blood pressure, but it is relatively common and demonstrates how a disease process will frequently result in a symptom. If only the symptoms are treated, the problem will never be fully resolved.