Modern Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Techniques
Diagnosis
Currently, physicians have leading-edge technology to make a diagnosis. We can see live images of the inner workings of the human body. Most diseases are easily diagnosed by a family doctor. Even family diseases provide data on the predisposition to certain disorders. The first assessment of health damages involves vital signs: weight, temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure remain the key indicators of good health. The best tool for the medical examination is the stethoscope. Indispensable in the detection of heart failure and lung disease, the stethoscope detects a wide variety of sounds from the body.
Diagnostic Techniques
- X-rays: The most popular method to peer inside the human body is x-rays. X-rays can pass through less dense tissue of the body, such as skin, fat, or muscle. Roentgen accidentally discovered x-rays. Doctors immediately recognized the potential of the technique for identifying fractures, kidney stones, cysts, or tumors.
- Computed Axial Tomography (CT): From X-ray technology and combining it with the ability to process a computer, computed axial tomography (CT) was born. It produces images of body sections.
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR): Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is able to obtain highly detailed images of any part of the human body. In an NMR apparatus, the patient is subjected to a powerful magnetic field that interacts with the nuclei of hydrogen atoms present in all tissues. Analyzing the response of the atoms, image sequences are obtained that seem like slices of about 1 mm thick, and whose resolution and sharpness are better than X-rays. They are especially useful to detect extremely small tumors, to observe the brain, and to locate blood clots in blood vessels.
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET): Positron emission tomography, or PET, involves injecting the patient with a mildly radioactive glucose that emits positrons. Within minutes, the blood carries glucose to cells throughout the body, so that those with faster metabolism take up more glucose and therefore emit more positrons. The patient is introduced into a ring surrounded by detectors that create an image where each color represents different levels of activity of the cells that form tissues.
- Thermography: The imager is useful for detecting tumors. It recognizes the differences in body temperature. Tumors are areas where there is an abnormal growth of tissue, which gives off more heat.
- Bone Densitometry: Bone density is determined by using small doses of X-rays. The lower the density, the greater the risk of fracture. The lumbar spine and the region of the femur that articulates with the hip are often where the demineralization of the bones begins.
Treatment
Once the cause of the patient’s discomfort has been diagnosed, doctors use various methods to treat it. The most common is to change any habits that may be related to the illness and/or use drugs. Research finds new drugs by studying tropical plants and genetic engineering. At present, surgery is involved only when the problem cannot be solved another way. Before surgery, the area must be prepared and disinfected to prevent microbes from causing infections that threaten patients’ lives. Drugs are substances that have therapeutic or prophylactic properties for human or animal diseases. Cancer medicines are those that interrupt the multiplication of cancer cells. Immunizations are also a type of medicine as they are used to prevent disease. Vaccines prime the immune system to fight invaders. Medicines are given once the disease has begun and has shown symptoms. Vaccines are given before the disease; they involve injecting antigens, i.e., bacteria treated in the laboratory to eliminate their virulence, so that when the body is in contact with the virulent antigen, it already has defenses against it. Drugs are administered to alleviate symptoms or to restore health, and it is expected that side effects are less harmful than the problems inherent to the disease they treat. Improper use of a drug includes self-medication and not following the doctor’s instructions. Self-medication is consuming drugs without a doctor’s prescription or monitoring of treatment. This practice is potentially dangerous. Never stress enough the need to consult a doctor if symptoms persist. In all medication, it is essential to follow your doctor’s instructions, both on the dose, frequency, and timing of the shots, and the duration of treatment.