psychosomatic medicine (redirected from Psychosomatic disorders)

medicine /med·i·cine/ (med´ĭ-sin)

1. any drug or remedy.

2. the diagnosis and treatment of disease and the maintenance of health.

3. the treatment of disease by nonsurgical means.

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alternative medicine  see complementary and alternative medicine.

aviation medicine  that dealing with the physiologic, medical, psychologic, and epidemiologic problems involved in aviation.

Chinese herbal medicine  a highly complex system of diagnosis and treatment using medicinal herbs, one of the branches of traditional Chinese medicine. Herbs range from the nontoxic and rejuvenating, used to support the body's healing system, to highly toxic ones, used to treat disease.

clinical medicine 

1. the study of disease by direct examination of the living patient.

2. the last two years of the usual curriculum in a medical college.

complementary medicine , complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) a large and diverse set of systems of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention based on philosophies and techniques other than those used in conventional Western medicine. Such practices may be described as alternative, existing as a body separate from and as a replacement for conventional Western medicine, or complementary, used in addition to conventional Western practice. CAM is characterized by its focus on the whole person as a unique individual, on the energy of the body and its influence on health and disease, on the healing power of nature and the mobilization of the body's own resources to heal itself, and on the treatment of the underlying causes, not symptoms, of disease. Many of the techniques used are controversial and have not been validated by controlled studies.

emergency medicine  the medical specialty dealing with the acutely ill or injured who require immediate medical treatment.

environmental medicine  that dealing with the effects of the environment on humans, including rapid population growth, water and air pollution, travel, etc.

experimental medicine  the study of diseases based on experimentation in animals.

family medicine  see under practice.

folk medicine  the use of home remedies and procedures as handed down by tradition.

forensic medicine  medical jurisprudence.

geographic medicine 

1. geomedicine.

2. tropical m.

group medicine  the practice of medicine by a group of physicians, usually representing various specialties, who are associated together for the cooperative diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

herbal medicine  herbalism.

holistic medicine  a system of medicine which considers man as an integrated whole, or as a functioning unit.

internal medicine  that dealing especially with diagnosis and medical treatment of diseases and disorders of internal structures of the body.

legal medicine  medical jurisprudence.

mind-body medicine  a holistic approach to medicine that takes into account the effect of the mind on physical processes, including the effects of psychosocial stressors and conditioning, particularly as they affect the immune system.

naturopathic medicine  naturopathy.

nuclear medicine  the branch of medicine concerned with the use of radionuclides in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

occupational medicine  the branch of medicine dealing with the study, prevention, and treatment of workplace-related injuries and occupational diseases.

orthomolecular medicine  a system for the prevention and treatment of disease based on the theory that each person's biochemical environment is genetically determined and individually specific. Therapy involves supplementation with substances naturally present in the body (e.g., vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids) in individually optimized amounts.

patent medicine  a drug or remedy protected by a trademark, available without a prescription; formerly used for quack remedies sold by peddlers.

physical medicine  physiatry.

preclinical medicine 

1. preventive m.

2. the first two years of the usual curriculum in a medical college.

preventive medicine  science aimed at preventing disease.

proprietary medicine  a remedy whose formula is owned exclusively by the manufacturer and which is marketed usually under a name registered as a trademark.

psychosomatic medicine  the study of the interactions between psychological processes and physiological states.

rehabilitation medicine  the branch of physiatry concerned with the restoration of form and function after injury or illness.

socialized medicine  a system of medical care controlled by the government.

space medicine  the branch of aviation medicine concerned with conditions encountered by humans in space.

sports medicine  the branch of medicine concerned with injuries sustained in athletics, including their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

traditional Chinese medicine  (TCM) the diverse body of medical theory and practice that has evolved in China, comprising four branches: acupuncture and moxibustion, herbal medicine, qi gong, and tui na. In all of these, the body and mind are considered together as a dynamic system subject to cycles of change and affected by the environment, and emphasis is on supporting the body's self-healing ability. Fundamental to TCM are the yin and the concept of basic substances that pervade the body: qi, jing, and shen, collectively known as the three treasures, and the blood (a fluid and material manifestation of qi) and body fluids (which moisten and lubricate the body).

travel medicine , travelers' medicine the subspecialty of tropical medicine consisting of the diagnosis and treatment or prevention of diseases of travelers.

tropical medicine  the branch of medicine concerned with diseases of the tropics and subtropics.

veterinary medicine  the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of animals other than humans.

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psychosomatic medicine

n.

The branch of medicine that studies and treats disorders in which physical symptoms are influenced by psychological factors.

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psychosomatic medicine,

the branch of medicine concerned with the interrelationships between mental and emotional reactions and somatic processes, in particular the manner in which intrapsychic conflicts influence physical symptoms. It maintains that the body and mind are one inseparable entity and that both physiologic and psychologic techniques should be applied in the study and treatment of illness. Also called psychosomatics.