Introduction to General Medical Conditions

156 Pages·2017·1.45 MB·English

by  Genevieve Ludwig

Introduction to General
Medical Conditions
Introduction to General
Medical Conditions
Genevieve Ludwig and
Megan Streveler-Lundstrom
Introduction to General Medical Conditions Copyright © Momentum Press, LLC, 2017.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other
except for brief quotations, not to exceed 400 words, without the prior permission of the publisher.
First published in 2017 by
Momentum Press, LLC
222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017
www.momentumpress.net
ISBN-13: 978-1-94561-292-3 (paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-1-94561-293-0 (e-book) Momentum Press Health, Wellness, and Exercise Science
Collection Cover and interior design by Exeter Premedia Services Private Ltd., Chennai, India First edition:
2017
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America.
Abstract
Introduction to General Medical Conditions explains the most common non-
orthopedic maladies seen in the active population. The text is designed to be a
reference tool for students and professionals who work with athletes or a
physically active population. Each chapter covers a specific body part or system.
Also discussed are preventative measures to avoid developing these conditions.
Coaches, students in allied health professions, physical education teachers,
parents, and athletes will benefit from reading this text.
The first unit of the text gives an introduction to general medicine concepts.
It starts by providing an introduction to clinical pathology, common medical
procedures, the basics of pharmacology, and lastly, introduces common
contagious illnesses.
The second unit of the text discusses body systems and complications that
may arise in each system. Common conditions and illnesses of the respiratory,
cardiovascular, digestive, urinary, reproductive, neurological, and endocrine
systems are introduced. Additionally, the second unit covers dermatological
conditions and issues that may arise in the eyes or ears. Each illness and
condition in the text provides the associated signs and symptoms, most common
treatment plan and recommended preventative measures.
Keywords
body systems, clinical pathology, common illnesses, dermatological conditions,
ear conditions, eye conditions, medical procedures
Contents
Preface
Part I Introduction to General Medical Concepts
Chapter 1 Introduction to Clinical Pathology
Chapter 2 Common Medical Procedures
Chapter 3 Pharmacology Basics
Chapter 4 Common Contagious Illnesses
Part II Conditions by Body System
Chapter 5 Respiratory System Conditions
Chapter 6 Cardiovascular Conditions
Chapter 7 Digestive System Conditions
Chapter 8 Urinary System Conditions
Chapter 9 Reproductive System Conditions
Chapter 10 Neurological System Conditions
Chapter 11 Endocrine System Conditions
Chapter 12 Dermatological Conditions
Chapter 13 Eye Conditions
Chapter 14 Ear Conditions
About the Authors
Index
Preface
Introduction to General Medical Conditions includes some of the most common
illnesses and conditions of the body systems. The text is designed as a reference
tool for students and professionals who work with athletes or any physically
active population. The reader will be introduced to basic general medical
concepts, common medical procedures, basic pharmacology, and common
infectious illnesses. Individual chapters will cover specific body systems and
will include a brief review of the system’s anatomy, the introduction to each
condition, the common signs and symptoms for easy recognition, and the most
commonly prescribed treatments. Lastly, preventative measures will be
discussed to help patients avoid obtaining these common illnesses or conditions.
Coaches, allied health students, physical education teachers, parents, and the
physically active will benefit from reading this text. Several texts exist for
understanding musculoskeletal injuries, but few quick reference tools are
available for general medical concepts and conditions.
PART I
Introduction to General
Medical Concepts
CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Clinical Pathology
Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the basic principles of clinical pathology
and provides the reader with an explanation as to why having a foundation in
general medical condition and treatment is vital when serving as a parent, coach,
personal trainer, instructor, or athletic trainer. This chapter will start by
providing several definitions and a basic guide to general medical evaluation
techniques, as well as how these techniques differs from orthopedic joint
evaluations.
Understanding common medical conditions and how they present is crucial
in any setting. Commonly, coaches, parents, and athletic trainers are the first to
see an athlete when a general medical condition arises. Thus, having knowledge
about common conditions and the ability to recognize the need for referral to a
medical doctor is an important first step in process of providing care.
Understanding clinical pathology is also crucial because certain conditions may
affect an athlete’s ability to participate and the disease may require certain
precautions when the athlete is allowed to play. Lastly, understanding basic
principles of clinical pathology is necessary to determine if and how a specific
condition can affect musculoskeletal injuries as well as required recovery time
before an athlete is allowed to return to play.
Definitions
Pathology: The study of biological causes, effects, and processes of disease.
Pathogenesis: Refers to the physiological or biological origin that leads to the
diseased state. Commonly noted by the development and progression of signs
and symptoms over time as well as the nature of the disease (acute, chronic, or
recurrent). Commonly thought of as synonymous with etiology.