I think there is a vocabulary issue here.
Smallpox is caused by a virus. You can see the thing under a microscope.
Polio is a virus.
Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria. You can see the thing under a microscope.
To me, these are all “diseases”.
Obesity? Alcoholism? Acid Reflux?
I don’t like to call them “diseases”. They may be medical problems that deserve treatment, but they are not like Tuberculosis. It’s a whole different category — but I don’t think we have a good term for it. I see these things as somewhat “medical” but also — frankly — a matter of personal failure. If you behaved differently, you wouldn’t be affected by the problem. But if it’s a “disease”, then I guess none of this is your fault.
I agree that we don’t have a good term for these conditions.
Alcoholism, obesity and such are addictions. More a form of mental illness than disease.
Yes, exactly what he’s pointing out.
“...but they are not like Tuberculosis...”
In some cases they are. One of the most prevalent illnesses, one I have, is congestive heart failure. What that is is when the heart is not strong enough to pump fluids through the body and they build up. The majority of it rests in the midriff part of the body thus displaying an abundance of size and weight which most think is fat when it is really fluid. There is medication that can be used like Lasix for water retention. But as the illness matures, it can no longer be used at the levels needed at certain point when it becomes dangerous. And normally the outer extremities like arms and legs are drained first and look dehydrated while the trunk is still a threat to the heart failure which further creates an appearance of overweightness. Ultimately, the body drowns itself.
wy69
And here I thought this was a joke.
Pharma is constantly in search of a new “disease” to be “treated” (never cured) by new patented meds. Diseases created to fit the “treatment”. Been like that for a while as am sure you know. You know “transgender” is a disease (mental) which surgeons, some, greedily charge to “cure”— and then the stupid bastards kill themselves (because they never got a 2 year analysis of their mental illness vs. actual “intersex” physicality). imho.
Gregory was hugely funny, and, morbidly obese (stomach stapled, got cancer and wasted away). From Lithonia, GA used to host a comedy club. His routine on hurricanes is absolutely hilarious. If y’all have a hard time understanding him— just ask. Great Geowgiah accent:
Hurricanes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU4XvfWB7lY
And a longer hilarious piece on Tornados:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU4XvfWB7lY
Polio, tb are INFECTIOUS diseas.
Acid reflux is due to incompetence of the esophageal sphincter allowing stomach acid to go into esophagus, where it doesn’t belong(causes erosion of tissue and/”heartburn”. It’s a disease ...not all diseases are infectious in nature
I do agree that alcoholism and addiction are solvable through character, habit reform ..would use the term, “self induced chemical poisoning”. Obesity would be”overfeeding syndrome” or some kind of term like that
IMHO
Diabetes
Cardiac myopathy
Hyperthyroidism
Multiple sclerosis
All diseases. None of them virulent.
As I was telling a friend today, obesity, alcoholism, acid reflux and type 2 diabetes are, IMHO, not diseases, they are decisions. I say this as someone who struggles against one or more of the foregoing myself.