When one thinks of a Band-Aid®, what comes to mind? Something to keep a wound from getting dirty or infected? Something to cover an unsightly wound? Many people use bandages for different purposes. The main use, however, is to cover a wound in an attempt to help the body heal the injury faster, or keep it from getting infected.
The mind-set is the same as with the use of medications. “I am in pain, so I will take a pain reliever so I can continue to work.” “I am sick to my stomach and think I may throw up. I will take something so I don’t throw up.” In a way, the medication is the bandage placed over the symptom so the person doesn’t have to “look at” it. Is this good?
Many have not been taught that symptoms of an illness are actually a good thing. What is a symptom? Anything can be a symptom. For a person exposed to the influenza (flu) virus, his symptoms may be have a fever, cough, and aching muscles. Or perhaps last night’s pork chop didn’t sit well on the stomach, so the person becomes nauseated and may vomit. A symptom, as defined by the Webster New World Dictionary, is “any circumstance or condition that indicates the existence as of a particular disease.” Mosby’s Medical Dictionary further states that a symptom is “a subjective indication of a disease or a change in condition as perceived by a patient.” This medical dictionary further divides symptoms into two classes: Primary being symptoms associated with the disease process, and Secondary, consequences of the disease process.
At every turn, symptoms are associated with disease, an ugly word that conjures up fear in everyone. People come to fear that any symptom equals disease, perhaps even something fatal. Advertisements in every form of media have promoted this; medical shows on television have promoted this; medical practitioners have promoted this. And our own inner fears have also promoted this.
What do our dictionaries define a disease as? Using the same two dictionaries from earlier, the Webster dictionary defines a disease as “illness in general” or “a particular destructive process in an organism” meaning a person, in this case. Mosby states that a disease is “a condition of abnormal vital function involving any structure, part, or system of an organism.” Mosby further defines a disease as “a specific illness or disorder characterized by a recognizable set of signs and symptoms, attributable to heredity, infection, diet, or environment.” Disease is considered abnormal by these definitions. And, they believe that signs and symptoms of these diseases are abnormal as well.
Let us look more at the symptoms we feel, perhaps on a daily basis. Hunger. Do we consider hunger to be a symptom? It is. It is a symptom that tells us that our body needs something that will come from our meal. Another: need to urinate. A symptom? Yes. It is our body telling us that our bladder is full and needs to be emptied. How about a third: yawning. Our body needs oxygen quickly, for some reason, so we yawn. When we are tired, we yawn more frequently, for at that time our brains and muscles are tired and need a little more oxygen to “stay awake.” Are fatigue, hunger or a full bladder a sign of disease?
Not every symptom yields a hidden disease. But the above examples aren’t illnesses or diseases, you may say. No, they aren’t, but they are symptoms that something is not right within the body. You may also notice that in each of the above examples, the body is “telling” the person what is needed. Food. Emptying the bladder. Oxygen. The body performs hundreds, maybe even thousands of functions each second to maintain a balance. A balance is needed to keep the body functioning without distress.
In the examples in the previous paragraphs, when the body needed food, the person became hungry. To maintain a balance, nutrients are needed. When the nutrient stores begin to run low, the brain makes the person feel the need to ingest food. Thirst is another example along the same lines. When you feel thirsty, it is in response to the body’s need for water. If you ignore these symptoms, what would happen?
Most functions performed by the body are performed without our knowledge. We only know when our body is out of balance by experiencing symptoms. But not all symptoms are pleasant. A fever, nausea, muscle cramps. These are only a few examples of unpleasant symptoms. But what is each trying to tell us? Instead of rushing for relief from the unpleasantness from these symptoms (the “Band-Aid®”), consider why we are feeling the way we are. A fever is usually indicative of an infection. Other causes, not so common, but still likely, are dehydration, pain, over-exertion/exhaustion, a rise in estrogen levels, and stress. Since an infection is the usual cause, this will be the focus. The body’s response by invasion of an unknown organism is to raise the body’s temperature. Viruses and bacteria do not like heat; it slows them down. While the invading organism is being slowed by the increased body temperature, the body is sending its antibodies to remove the invader. What is the general advice for a fever? Take acetaminophen (Tylenol®). The results: lowered body temperature, allowing the invading organism taking hold faster, and longer healing time. And, you just introduced another foreign substance into your body. And, what if the cause of the fever wasn’t caused by an invading organism? You just put a bandage over the fever so you didn’t have to deal with the unpleasantness of having a fever; plus, you didn’t learn why you had the fever.
Looking in the dictionaries to see what they say about a fever, each calls it an “abnormal elevation of body temperature.” Abnormal. Actually, an increase in the body’s temperature due to something being out of balance is “normal”; it is what the body is supposed to do, just as inhaling is what you are supposed to do to increase your oxygen supply. These are not taught responses; they are a part of us. What we need to do is listen to the signals our body is sending us and pay attention. The body knows what to do. All we have to do is let it do its job.
What the body strives for is balance. When it is out of balance, illness can occur. Pain can occur. Symptoms occur. Body imbalance ALWAYS precedes pain and suffering. The symptoms tell what is wrong. We need to listen if we want the pain and suffering to stop. We need to listen if we want the body to regain balance. Placing a bandage over the symptom will not help the body regain balance. Taking a medication to stop the symptom will not help the body regain balance. You need to let your body know what it needs to do and help it if it needs helping.
The brain communicates with all parts of the body via 26 pair of nerves that exit the spin. Any sensation or movement imaginable is accomplished because of these nerves. If pressure is on any of these nerves, there will be distress in the communication lines, as with static over the phone lines. The communication becomes out of balance. Your liver, for example, is the largest organ in the body, and is capable of performing more than 500 functions. What if it didn’t know when to perform those functions because the brain could not communicate with it? Your liver can do one of two things then: 1) not do one or more of its usual functions, or 2) continue doing its functions not knowing if it was supposed to or not. Based on this example, what would happen? Symptoms of an ill liver would appear.
Symptoms are tricky to figure out. With the above example about the liver, a person may actually look at the liver as the cause of a particular symptom. You may be advised to take medications for the liver, based on the symptoms, to either increase or decrease liver’s functions. The medication now takes over the control of the liver’s function. The person will be dependent on that medication for the rest of his life to keep the liver functioning. This medication is, in effect, a bandage. The symptoms will be taken care of; however, the cause of the liver dysfunction was not addressed. Lack of communication with the brain was the cause, due to pressure on the spinal nerves that communicate with the liver.
In many treatments, symptoms are the focus of care. I know of no medication that addresses the cause of a symptom; all drugs focus on removing symptoms. And, each medication comes with side effects. A side effect, as defined by the medical dictionary, is “any reaction or consequence that results from medication or therapy. This can be an effect carried beyond the desired limit or a reaction unrelated to the primary object of the therapy.” (Examples were given in medical terminology.” An example of an effect being carried beyond the desired limit is excessive bleeding after taking a medication designed decrease blood clotting (such as aspirin or Coumadin®) . An example of a reaction unrelated to the main reason you would take the medication is nausea from an antibiotic, or an allergic reaction. The latter consequence or reaction is what is generally called a side effect. Many people experience these types of side effects while taking medications. Oddly enough, while studying various side effects of medications, the reactions to taking a medication is your body’s way of trying to maintain balance with having the drug in the body.
What can be done for symptoms? Listen to them, and see if there is anything you can do to help your body return to balance. If you need to yawn, then do so. If you feel hungry, eat. If you crave a certain food, eat it. But, what about the other, unpleasant, symptoms? See if you can find the cause. Don’t assume the obvious; you may overlook the true cause. And, don’t look at a symptom in isolation; look at all of you. What is going on throughout your body? If you are sick to your stomach, think about what you have eaten and drank in the past 24 hours. If nothing is obvious, consider if maybe there is a virus going around. Have you fallen or hit your head recently? When was your last bowel movement? What else are you feeling? Do you have a fever? Other symptoms? Know that your body will not be sick to the stomach unless there is a reason. The trick is finding it. And, with any symptom, always consider your nervous system. Perhaps there is a part of you not sending or receiving information properly due to interference. And in balance, you will not have disease.
Best wishes,
Dr. Ronda Behnke
Disclaimer: The information presented by Dr. Ronda is for educational purposes only. It is important that you not make health decisions or stop any medication without first consulting your personal physician or health care provider.
