environmental medicine

environmental medicine

n.

The study of the effects of environmental exposure to synthetic chemicals on the immune system. Also called clinical ecology.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

environmental medicine

Fringe medicine
A field that explores the role of dietary and environmental allergens in health and illness. The intent of EM is to identify toxins in the environment through elimination diets, skin testing, provocation/ neutralisation testing, electroacupuncture, biofeedback, and radioallergosorbent testing, and to reduce patient exposure to noxious agents in the environment. Environmental medicine (EM) is believed by its practitioners (clinical ecologists) to address a wide range of conditions.
 
The concepts and practices of clinical ecology (environmental medicine) have been evaluated by several professional bodies, including the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology; all have concluded that environmental disease has not been proven to exist and that clinical ecology (environmental medicine) is not a valid discipline. Although there is little data to support the efficacy of EM in peer-reviewed journals, the concept that low levels of noxious components in the environment may cause disease has been attractive to some workers.

Diagnosis
Neutralisation, a test of uncertain validity which consists of either subdermal injection or sublingual placement of the allegedly offending substance and evaluating the reactions; some clinical ecologists identify offending substances by crystals, pendulums, galvanometers and other devices.
 
Disease managed by environmental medicine
• Allergies;
• Cardiovascular (angina, arrhythmia, thrombophlebitis, vasculitis);
• Paediatric (bedwetting, chronic otitis, learning disabilities);
• Endocrine (autoimmune thyroiditis, hypoglycaemia);
• ENT (allergies, sinus headaches, vertigo);
• Gastrointestinal (bloating, constipation, gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome);
• Gynaecologic (dyspareunia, premenstrual syndrome);
• Skin (angiooedema, eczema);
• Neuromuscular (epilepsy, headaches, migraines, myalgias);
• Psychiatric (anxiety, ADD/ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, sexual dysfunction);
• Rheumatic (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus).

Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

en·vi·ron·men·tal med·i·cine

(en-vī'rŏn-men'tăl med'i-sin)

That branch of health care involved with therapy of patients who are afflicted by causes related to the environment (e.g., duststorms, heat, overcrowding); also studies role of diet and environmental allergens on health and illness, among many other considerations.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012