So What?
The harrowing affliction that illnesses cause is one that most people cannot reflect upon with fondness. Of many such afflictions that I have endured, one particular misfortune sticks out in mind. Shortly after celebrating my 10th birthday, I got down with a severe bout of diarrheal illness.
Pathophysiology describes the steps through which a disease or injury occurs. Every disease condition or injury has different pathogenesis. The human body works as a unit to ensure normal function (Funkhouser, Coleman, & Tsongalis, 2017). In most cases, a disease in one organ system may affect the functioning of other systems too. When the gastrointestinal system under-functions, little nutrients may be delivered to the muscles, and this affects exercise tolerance and ability (Meerveld, Johnson, & Grundy, 2017). An irritated alimentary canal can respond by vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, among other symptoms. I vividly recall the symptoms; acute severe central abdominal pain that was shortly followed upon by nausea, violent vomiting, diarrhea, fever, throbbing headaches, and malaise. The symptoms began suddenly and rapidly progressed over hours to become intolerable. I was then admitted to the nearby health center where the doctor seemed mostly concerned with asking me questions around what meal I had last, where, and when I had it. He also inquired about any other family member or school mate with similar complaints. I recall not being able to answer properly as I was mostly concerned and desperate to remedy my pain. The clinician insisted that no relief could be reliably provided until the cause was established. When the doctor pressed on my abdomen, it elicited pain. He listened with his stethoscope and frowned. Stool and blood samples were collected and taken for laboratory investigation.
Gastroenteritis is caused by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. It presents with nausea and/or vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. Diarrhea causes loss of body water, causing dehydration (Stuempfig & Seroy., 2020). The next day, I got very weak and could read the palpable worry in my parents’ faces. My eyes were sunken, lips dry and crusted, and my heartbeat fast. At this time, a peripheral intravenous line was established in my arm, and fluids were running. I had also been started on a course of antibiotics and antipyretics. With these remedies in place, I felt my strength quickly regained and was better on the third day. The clinician said I was ready for discharge and explained that my illness could be due to improperly prepared food or unhygienic practices. He further encouraged me to be strict around washing hands, fruit, and vegetables and avoiding fast foods. He sent me home on some vitamin and zinc tablets to accompany the antibiotics I was already on. Dehydration causes low blood volume that triggers the heart to compensate by pumping faster to meet tissue demands such as the brain and muscles. When the human body feels deficient in one system, there are mechanisms in place to ensure normal balance. These mechanisms can be overwhelmed in most cases, which may require medical or surgical interventions.
I stayed at home for an additional two days, over which time I religiously took my medications on time, dreading a relapse. I also remember being obsessed with handwashing and being particularly selective about the foods I ate in the period after. In the temporal sequence of a disease, the causes come before the symptoms and cannot be reversed. Diseases such as gastroenteritis that I used to call stomach ache can be due to microbes, poisons, or toxins. The presentation can be different depending on the causative agent.
References
Funkhouser, W. K., Coleman, W. B., & Tsongalis, G. J. (2017). The Clinical Description of Human Disease. Molecular Pathology, 217-229. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-802761-5.00011-0
Meerveld, B. G.-V., Johnson, A. C., & Grundy, D. (2017). Gastrointestinal Physiology and Function. Handb Exp Pharmacol, 236, 1-16. doi:10.1007/164_2016_118
Stuempfig, N. D., & Seroy., J. (2020). Viral Gastroenteritis. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518995/