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Health science is the applied science dealing with health
Health

In 1948, the World Health Organisation defined health as ?a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.? ...
, and it includes many subdisciplines. See also health science academic disciplines
List of academic disciplines

An academia discipline, or field of study, is a branch of knowledge which is teaching and researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, and the learned society and academic departments or faculties to which their practitioners belong....
.

There are two approaches to health science: the study and research
Research

Research is defined as human activity based on intellectual application in the investigation of matter. The primary purpose for applied research is discovery , interpretation , and the development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of our world and the universe....
 of the human body and health-related issues to understand how humans (and animals) function, and the application of that knowledge to improve health and to prevent and cure disease
Disease

A disease or medical condition is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions, associated with specific symptoms and Medical signs....
s.

Health research builds upon the basic sciences of biology
Biology

Biology is a branch of the natural sciences concerned with the study of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their environment ....
, chemistry
Chemistry

Chemistry is the science concerned with the composition, structure, and properties of matter, as well as the changes it undergoes during chemical reactions....
, and physics
Physics

Physics is the natural science which examines basic concepts such as energy, force, and spacetime and all that derives from these, such as mass, charge, matter and its Motion ....
 as well as a variety of multidisciplinary fields (for example medical sociology
Medical sociology

At the centre of Medical sociology is the sociological study of the social institution of medicine, its knowledge, practice and effects. Medical sociologists investigate the social organization and production of health and illness, includes relevant aspects of the sociology of the professions and science and technology studies that relate to...
).






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Health science is the applied science dealing with health
Health

In 1948, the World Health Organisation defined health as ?a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.? ...
, and it includes many subdisciplines. See also health science academic disciplines
List of academic disciplines

An academia discipline, or field of study, is a branch of knowledge which is teaching and researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, and the learned society and academic departments or faculties to which their practitioners belong....
.

There are two approaches to health science: the study and research
Research

Research is defined as human activity based on intellectual application in the investigation of matter. The primary purpose for applied research is discovery , interpretation , and the development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of our world and the universe....
 of the human body and health-related issues to understand how humans (and animals) function, and the application of that knowledge to improve health and to prevent and cure disease
Disease

A disease or medical condition is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions, associated with specific symptoms and Medical signs....
s.

Health research builds upon the basic sciences of biology
Biology

Biology is a branch of the natural sciences concerned with the study of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their environment ....
, chemistry
Chemistry

Chemistry is the science concerned with the composition, structure, and properties of matter, as well as the changes it undergoes during chemical reactions....
, and physics
Physics

Physics is the natural science which examines basic concepts such as energy, force, and spacetime and all that derives from these, such as mass, charge, matter and its Motion ....
 as well as a variety of multidisciplinary fields (for example medical sociology
Medical sociology

At the centre of Medical sociology is the sociological study of the social institution of medicine, its knowledge, practice and effects. Medical sociologists investigate the social organization and production of health and illness, includes relevant aspects of the sociology of the professions and science and technology studies that relate to...
). Some of the other primarily research-oriented fields that make exceptionally significant contributions to health science are alternative health, biochemistry
Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry processes in living organisms. It deals with the structure and function of cellular components such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and other biomolecules....
, epidemiology
Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations, and serves as the foundation and logic of interventions made in the interest of public health and preventive medicine....
, and genetics
Genetics

Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of heredity and Genetic variation in living organisms. The fact that living things inherit traits from their parents has been used since prehistoric times to improve crop plants and animals through selective breeding....
, natural health. See also life sciences and life science academic disciplines
List of academic disciplines

An academia discipline, or field of study, is a branch of knowledge which is teaching and researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, and the learned society and academic departments or faculties to which their practitioners belong....
.

Applied health sciences also endeavor to better understand health, but in addition they try to directly improve the health of individuals and of people in general. Some of these are: alternative health, biomedical engineering
Biomedical engineering

Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to help improve patient health care and the quality of life of individuals....
, biotechnology
Biotechnology

Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biotechnology as:...
, clinical laboratory sciences, medicine
Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, nursing
Nursing

Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the detail-oriented care of individuals, family, and community in attaining, maintaining, and recovering optimal health and functioning....
, nutrition
Nutrition

Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with good nutrition....
, pharmacology
Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the study of drug action. More specifically it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and exogenous chemicals that alter normal biochemical function....
, pharmacy
Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemistrys, and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of medication....
, public health
Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis....
, psychology
Psychology

Psychology is an academic and applied science discipline involving the science study of human mental functions and behavior. Occasionally it also relies on symbolic hermeneutics and critical theory, although these traditions are less pronounced than in other social sciences such as sociology....
, and physical therapy
Physical therapy

Physical therapy is a health care profession which provides services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life....
 The provision of services to improve people's health is referred to as health care (see below). See also branches of medicine
Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
.

The health sciences industry, a multi-billion dollar business sector, is a cross-section of the life sciences and the health care and medical diagnostics industries.

Acquisition of health-related knowledge


Medical research is basic
Basic Research

Basic Research is an herbal supplement and cosmetics manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, Utah that distributes products through a large number of subsidiaries....
 and applied research
Applied research

Applied research: is research accessing and using some part of the research communities' accumulated theories, knowledge, methods, and techniques, for a specific, often state, Commerce, or client driven purpose....
 conducted to improve the evaluation of new treatments for both safety and efficacy in what are termed clinical trial
Clinical trial

In health care, clinical trials are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for new drugs or devices. These trials can only take place once satisfactory information has been gathered on the quality of the product and its non-clinical safety, and Institutional review board approval is granted in the country where the trial...
s, or to develop new treatments (referred to as preclinical research
Pre-clinical development

Pre-clinical development is a stage of research that begins before clinical trials can begin, and during which important feasibility, iterative testing and safety data is collected....
).

The increased longevity of humans over the past century is due in large part to medical research. Among the major advancements in medicine have been vaccine
Vaccine

A vaccine is a biological preparation that establishes or improves immunity to a particular disease.Vaccines can be prophylaxis , or Medication ....
s for measles
Measles

Measles is a infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses....
 and polio, insulin
Insulin

Insulin is a hormone with extensive effects on both metabolism and several other body systems . Insulin causes most of the body's cells to take up glucose from the blood , storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle, and stops use of fat as an energy source....
 treatment for diabetes, classes of antibiotic
Antibiotic

In common usage, an antibiotic is a substance or compound that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics belong to the group of antimicrobial compounds used to treat infections caused by microorganisms, including fungus and protozoa....
s for treating a host of maladies, medication for high blood pressure
Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, and constitutes one of the principal vital signs. The pressure of the circulating blood decreases as it moves away from the heart through artery and capillary, and toward the heart through veins....
, improved treatments for AIDS
AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the HIV ....
, statin
Statin

The statins are a class of drugs that lower cholesterol levels in people with or at risk of cardiovascular disease.They lower cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which is the rate-limiting step enzyme of the mevalonate pathway of cholesterol synthesis....
s and other treatments for atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a syndrome affecting artery blood vessels. It is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries, in large part due to the accumulation of macrophage white blood cells and promoted by low density lipoproteins without adequate removal of fats and cholesterol from the macrophages by functional high density lipoprot...
, new surgical techniques such as microsurgery
Microsurgery

Microsurgery is a general term for surgery requiring an operating microscope. The most obvious developments have been procedures developed to allow anastomosis of successively smaller blood vessels and nerves which have allowed transfer of tissue from one part of the body to another and re-attachment of severed parts....
, and increasingly successful treatments for cancer
Cancer

Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cell display uncontrolled growth , invasion , and sometimes metastasis . These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors, which are self-limited, do not invade or metastasize....
. New, beneficial tests and treatments are expected as a result of the human genome project
Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project was an international scientific research project with a primary goal to determine the sequence of chemical base pairs which make up DNA and to identify and map the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes of the human genome from both a physical and functional standpoint...
. Many challenges remain, however, including the appearance of antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance is the ability of a microorganism to withstand the effects of antibiotics. It is a specific type of drug resistance. Antibiotic resistance evolves via natural selection acting upon random mutation, but it can also be engineered by applying an evolutionary stress on a population....
 and the obesity
Obesity

Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to an extent that health may be negatively affected. It is commonly defined as a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher....
 epidemic.

Application of health-related knowledge (health care)


Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the medical
Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, nursing
Nursing

Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the detail-oriented care of individuals, family, and community in attaining, maintaining, and recovering optimal health and functioning....
, and allied health professions. According to the World Health Organization
World Health Organization

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health....
, health care embraces all the goods and services designed to promote health, including “preventive, curative and palliative interventions, whether directed to individuals or to populations”. The organized provision of such services may constitute a health care system
Health care system

Health care systems are designed to meet the health care needs of target populations. There are a wide variety of health care systems around the world....
. This can include a specific governmental organization such as the National Health Service
National Health Service

The National Health Service is the name commonly used to refer to the four publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom, collectively or individually, although only the health service in England uses the name 'National Health Service' without further qualification....
 in the UK, or a cooperation across the National Health Service and Social Services as in shared care
Shared Care

Shared care is a term used in health care and social care in Great Britain. It describes the establishment of partnerships between professionals and laymen where they share a common goal....
.

There is a wide range of traditional areas of health care. The most common areas are: medicine
Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, nursing
Nursing

Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the detail-oriented care of individuals, family, and community in attaining, maintaining, and recovering optimal health and functioning....
, midwifery
Midwifery

Midwifery is a health care profession where providers give prenatal care to pregnancy mothers, attend the Childbirth of the infant, and provide postpartum care to the mother and her infant....
, pharmacy
Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemistrys, and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of medication....
, dentistry
Dentistry

Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the mouth, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body....
, clinical laboratory sciences (in vitro diagnostics), and various forms of therapy to supplement the healing process and restore proper activity (e.g. dietetics, recreational
Play therapy

Play therapy is generally employed with children ages 3 through 11 and provides a way for them to express their experiences and feelings through a natural, self-guided, self-healing process....
, physical
Physical therapy

Physical therapy is a health care profession which provides services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life....
, occupational
Occupational therapy

File:Occupational therapy psychiatric hospital.jpgOccupational Therapy, often abbreviated as "OT", incorporates meaningful and purposeful occupation to enable people with limitations or impairments to participate in everyday life....
, speech
Speech therapy

#redirect Speech and language pathology...
, and respiratory
Respiratory therapy

Respiratory Therapy is an allied health profession in the United States and Canada. In the United States there are currently two levels of respiratory therapist, the Certified Respiratory Therapist and the Registered Respiratory Therapist , both credentials offered by the ....
).

Like health science in general, health care includes both the study and application of preventing and curing human diseases and disorders. Medical doctor
Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
s include physician
Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
s and surgeons
Surgery

Surgery is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, to help improve bodily function or appearance, or sometimes for some other reason....
.

There are many different branches of medicine; the other health care professions also have specialties or focus on specific populations or settings of care. Public health
Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis....
 studies the effect of environmental factors such as available health care resources on the health of the general population, often focusing on particular populations, such as mothers and children. Dietitian
Dietitian

A dietitian is an expert in food and nutrition.Dietitians help promote good health through proper eating. They supervise the preparation and foodservice, develop modified diet s, participate in research, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits....
s educate people about proper nutrition
Nutrition

Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with good nutrition....
, particularly specific dietary needs of populations such as people with diabetes, breastfeeding
Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with breast milk directly from human breasts rather than from a baby bottle or other container....
 women, and people with celiac
Celiac

Celiac can refer to:* Coeliac disease* Celiac artery* Celiac lymph nodes...
 disease. Other less common medical areas include first aid
First aid

First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by a layman to a sick or injured Casualty until definitive medical treatment can be accessed....
 and triage
Triage

Block quoteTriage is a process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition. This rations patient treatment efficiently when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately....
.

Dental health has grown in importance in recent decades making dentistry
Dentistry

Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the mouth, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body....
 a major field of health sciences. Counselling
Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is an intentional interpersonal relationship used by trained psychotherapists to aid a wiktionary:Client in problems of living. It aims to increase the individual's sense of health and reduce their subjective sense of discomfort....
, hospice care, home care
Home care

Home care, , is health care or supportive care provided in the patient home by healthcare professionals or by family and friends . Often, the term home care is used to distinguish non-medical care or custodial care, which is care that is provided by persons who are not nurses, doctors, or other licensed medical personnel,...
, nutrition
Nutrition

Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with good nutrition....
, medical social work
Medical social work

Medical Social Work is a sub-discipline of social work, also known as Hospital social work. Medical social workers typically work in a hospital, skilled nursing facility or Hospice care, have a graduate degree in the field, and work with patients and their families in need of psychosocial help....
, alternative medicine
Alternative medicine

The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world, encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine"....
, pharmacology
Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the study of drug action. More specifically it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and exogenous chemicals that alter normal biochemical function....
, and toxicology
Toxicology

Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms. It is the study of symptoms, mechanisms, treatments and detection of poisoning, especially the poisoning of people....
 are all considered part of health science.

Clinical laboratory sciences (in vitro diagnostics) is also a major field of health sciences.

Veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine

Veterinary medicine is that branch of medical science,which deals with the study of diagnosis,treatment and prevention of diseases in companion,domestic, exotic, wildlife and production animals....
 is the health science dedicated exclusively to the care of animals. Veterinary medicine is involved in preventing and curing animal diseases and disorders, inspecting animal-originated food (such as milk and meat) and animal husbandry.

Health practices


Conventional Western practices
  • Athletic training
    Athletic training

    Certified athletic trainerIn the USA, the Certified Athletic trainer is an allied health care provider who provides prevention, assessment, treatment of injuries and illnesses to athletes and the physically active....
  • Clinical laboratory sciences (in vitro diagnostics)
  • Dentistry
    Dentistry

    Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the mouth, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body....
  • Dietetics
  • Epidemiology
    Epidemiology

    Epidemiology is the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations, and serves as the foundation and logic of interventions made in the interest of public health and preventive medicine....
  • Evidence-based medicine
    Evidence-based medicine

    Evidence-based medicine aims to apply evidence gained from the scientific method to certain parts of medical practice. It seeks to assess the quality of evidence relevant to the risks and benefits of therapy ....
  • Genetic counseling
    Genetic counseling

    Genetic counseling is the process by which patients or relatives, at risk of an inherited disorder, are advised of the consequences and nature of the disorder, the probability of developing or transmitting it, and the options open to them in management and family planning in order to prevent, avoid or ameliorate it....
  • Medical physics
    Medical physics

    File:Gamma knife.jpgMedical physics is the application of physics to medicine. It generally concerns physics as applied to medical imaging and radiotherapy, although a medical physicist may also work in many other areas of healthcare....
  • Medicine
    Medicine

    Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
  • Nursing
    Nursing

    Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the detail-oriented care of individuals, family, and community in attaining, maintaining, and recovering optimal health and functioning....
  • Nutrition
    Nutrition

    Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with good nutrition....
  • Occupational therapy
    Occupational therapy

    File:Occupational therapy psychiatric hospital.jpgOccupational Therapy, often abbreviated as "OT", incorporates meaningful and purposeful occupation to enable people with limitations or impairments to participate in everyday life....
  • Optometry
    Optometry

    Optometry is a health profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as Visual acuity, visual systems, and Visual perception in humans....
  • Osteopathic medicine (Note: Osteopathy
    Osteopathy

    Osteopathy is an approach to healthcare that emphasizes the role of the musculoskeletal system in health and disease. It is practiced in the United Kingdom, the rest of the European Union, Israel, Canada, and Australia....
    , as practiced in most countries other than the USA, is listed under complementary and alternative practices below)
  • Pharmacology
    Pharmacology

    Pharmacology is the study of drug action. More specifically it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and exogenous chemicals that alter normal biochemical function....
  • Physical therapy (physiotherapy)
    Physical therapy

    Physical therapy is a health care profession which provides services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life....
  • Prosthetics and Orthotics
    Orthotics

    Orthotics is an allied health care medical profession or field that is concerned with the design, development, fitting and manufacturing of orthoses, which are devices that support or correct musculoskeletal deformities and/or abnormalities of the human body....
  • Psychology
    Psychology

    Psychology is an academic and applied science discipline involving the science study of human mental functions and behavior. Occasionally it also relies on symbolic hermeneutics and critical theory, although these traditions are less pronounced than in other social sciences such as sociology....
    , including Animal, Behavioural, Clinical, Health, Medical, Neuropsychology and others
  • Psychoanalysis
    Psychoanalysis

    Psychoanalysis is a body of ideas developed by Austrian physician Sigmund Freud and his followers, which is devoted to the study of human psychological functioning and behaviour....
  • Psychotherapy
    Psychotherapy

    Psychotherapy is an intentional interpersonal relationship used by trained psychotherapists to aid a wiktionary:Client in problems of living. It aims to increase the individual's sense of health and reduce their subjective sense of discomfort....
    , including Cognitive therapy
    Cognitive therapy

    Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychotherapy approach that aims to influence dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic procedure....
  • Public health
    Public health

    Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis....
  • Physical education
    Physical education

    In most educational systems, physical education class,Phys Ed, is a course that utilizes learning in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains in a play or movement exploration setting....
  • Speech-Language Pathology
  • Surgery
    Surgery

    Surgery is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, to help improve bodily function or appearance, or sometimes for some other reason....
    , including anaesthesiology
  • Veterinary medicine
    Veterinary medicine

    Veterinary medicine is that branch of medical science,which deals with the study of diagnosis,treatment and prevention of diseases in companion,domestic, exotic, wildlife and production animals....


Historical western
  • Blood letting
  • Heroic medicine
    Heroic medicine

    Heroic medicine is a term for aggressive medical practices or methods of treatment, and usually refers to those which were later superseded by scientific advances....
  • Magnet therapy
    Magnet therapy

    Magnet therapy, magnetic therapy, magnetotherapy or magnotherapy is a complementary and alternative medicine practice involving the use of static magnetic fields....
  • Patent medicine
    Patent medicine

    Patent medicine is the somewhat misleading term given to various medical compounds sold under a variety of names and labels, though they were, for the most part, actually medicines with trademarks, not patented medicines....
  • Phrenology
    Phrenology

    Phrenology is a defunct field of study, once considered a science, in which the personality traits of a person were determined by "reading" bumps and fissures in the skull....
  • Trepanation
    Trepanation

    Trepanation is surgery in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the human skull, thus exposing the dura mater in order to treat health problems related to intracranial diseases, though in the modern era it is used only to treat epidural hematoma and subdural hematomas and for surgical access for certain other neurosurgical procedures, su...


Traditional or folk medicine
  • Shamanism
    Shamanism

    Shamanism is a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world. A practitioner of shamanism is known as a shaman, , noun ....
  • Ayurveda
    Ayurveda

    Ayurveda is a system of traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda comprises the words , meaning 'life' and , meaning 'science'....
  • Medical herbalism
  • Traditional Chinese medicine
    Traditional Chinese medicine

    Traditional Chinese medicine includes a range of traditional medicine practices originating in China. Although well accepted in the mainstream of medical care throughout East Asia, it is considered an alternative medicine system in much of the western world....
    , including acupuncture
    Acupuncture

    Acupuncture is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine wikt:filiform needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes....
  • Traditional Korean medicine
    Traditional Korean medicine

    Traditional Korean medicine developed with the influence of other traditional medicine. Its techniques in treatment and diagnosis are similar to other traditional medicine....
  • Unani
    Unani

    Unani IPA: means "Greek ". It derives from the Greek word Ionia, the Greek name of the Anatolia coastline, from the Arabic word for Greece: "al-Yunaan"....


Complementary and alternative medicine

  • Alexander Technique
    Alexander Technique

    The Alexander Technique is a technique of body re-education and coordination, accomplished through physical and psychological principles. The technique focuses on the self-perception of body use and is promoted for the alleviation of back pain, rehabilitation after accidents, improving breathing, playing musical instruments and singing....
  • Chiropractic
    Chiropractic

    Chiropractic is a health care approach and profession that emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the vertebral column, under the hypothesis that these disorders affect general health via the nervous system....
     (in some countries: included within Conventional Western practices)
  • Dorn method
    Dorn method

    The Dorn method is a form of manual, Holism#Holism_in_medicine Alternative medicine used to correct misalignments in the Vertebral column and other joints....
  • Herbalism
    Herbalism

    Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, and phytotherapy....
  • Holistic health
    Holistic health

    Holistic health is a philosophy of medical care that views physical and mental and spiritual aspects of life as closely interconnected and equally important approaches to treatment....
  • Homeopathy
    Homeopathy

    File:LedumPalustre15CH.jpgHomeopathy is a form of alternative medicine first expounded by Samuel Hahnemann in 1796, that treats a disease with heavily diluted preparations created from substances that would ordinarily cause effects similar to the disease's symptoms....
  • Hypnosis
    Hypnosis

    Hypnosis is a mental state or set of attitudes usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a series of preliminary instructions and suggestions....
  • Massage therapy
  • Natural medicine
  • Naturopathic medicine
    Naturopathic medicine

    Naturopathy is an alternative medicine which emphasizes the body's intrinsic ability to heal and maintain itself. Naturopaths use natural remedies such as herbs and foods rather than surgery or synthetic medication....
  • Orthomolecular medicine
    Orthomolecular medicine

    Orthomolecular medicine, or megavitamin therapy is a form of complementary and alternative medicine that purports to prevent or treat diseases with nutrients prescribed as dietary supplements or derived from diets....
  • Osteopathy
    Osteopathy

    Osteopathy is an approach to healthcare that emphasizes the role of the musculoskeletal system in health and disease. It is practiced in the United Kingdom, the rest of the European Union, Israel, Canada, and Australia....
     (Note: Osteopathic medicine as practiced in the USA is listed under traditional western practices above)


New Age or spiritualist
  • Christian Science
    Christian Science

    Christian Science is a religious belief system claimed to have been discovered in the year 1866 by Mary Baker Eddy. Practiced most prominently by members of the Church of Christ, Scientist that she founded, Christian Science asserts that humanity and the universe as a whole are, correctly viewed, spiritual rather than material; that truth an...
  • Faith healing
    Faith healing

    Faith healing is the attempt to use religious or spirituality means such as prayer, mental practices, spiritual insights, or other techniques to prevent illness, cure disease, or improve health....
  • Johrei
    Johrei

    was developed in Japan during the 1920s by the Japanese artist, philosopher, ikebana master and spiritual leader, Mokichi Okada.The purpose of channeling universal energy is to cleanse one?s spiritual body of the ?clouds? or karma accumulated over time....
  • Maharishi Vedic Medicine
    Maharishi Vedic Medicine

    Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health was founded internationally in the mid 1980s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, creator of the Transcendental Meditation technique....
  • Reiki
    Reiki

    is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by Mikao Usui. After three weeks of fasting and meditating on Mount Kurama, in Japan, Usui claimed to receive the ability of "healing without energy depletion"....


Contemporary themes


Because health science deal with human life, issues of medical ethics
Medical ethics

Medical ethics is primarily a field of applied ethics, the study of moral values and judgments as they apply to medicine. As a scholarly discipline, medical ethics encompasses its practical application in clinical settings as well as work on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology....
, an important area of ethics
Ethics

Ethics is a word for a philosophy that encompasses proper conduct and good living. It is significantly broader than the common conception of ethics as the analyzing of right and wrong....
, arise frequently. Medical ethics includes questions on topics such as a patient's right to privacy and his/her right to be involved in treatment and decision-making. Euthanasia
Euthanasia

Euthanasia refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many different forms of euthanasia can be distinguished, including euthanasia and human euthanasia, and within the latter, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia....
, abortion
Abortion

An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death....
, human cloning
Human cloning

Human cloning is the creation of a genetics identical copy of a human being, human cell , or human biological tissue....
, stem cell research and genetic engineering
Genetic engineering

Engineering There are a number of ways through which genetic engineering is accomplished. Essentially, the process has five main steps# Isolation of the genes of interest...
 are especially controversial issues directly related to health science.

History of health science


The foundations for the Health Sciences fields are as old as the human race. Humans have always been in need of solutions to address illness, injury, and various health related issues such as childbirth. With modern technology and the backing of the pure sciences, the scientific accuracy of these fields has greatly improved. Nevertheless, many cultures have used and continue to use various herbs and other culturally specific solutions to help solve health problems that may or may not be backed by any scientific support.

See also

Main list: Topic outline of health science


  • Academic health science centre
    Academic health science centre

    An academic health science centre is a partnership between one or more universities and healthcare providers focusing on world-class research, clinical services, education and training....
  • Biomedical engineering
    Biomedical engineering

    Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to help improve patient health care and the quality of life of individuals....
  • Biomedical informatics
    Biomedical informatics

    Biomedical informatics is the broad discipline concerned with the study and application of computer science, information science, informatics, cognitive science and human-computer interaction in the practice of biology, biomedical science, medicine and healthcare....
  • Biomedical research
    Biomedical research

    Biomedical research , in general simply known as medical research, is the basic research, applied research, or translational research conducted to aid the body of knowledge in the field of medicine....
  • Biomedical technology
    Biomedical technology

    of engineering and technology principles to the domain of living or biological systems. Usually biomedical denotes a greater stress on problems related to human health and diseases....
  • Emergency medical services
    Emergency medical services

    Emergency medical services are a branch of Emergency services dedicated to providing out-of-hospital Acute and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency....
  • Evidence-based medicine
    Evidence-based medicine

    Evidence-based medicine aims to apply evidence gained from the scientific method to certain parts of medical practice. It seeks to assess the quality of evidence relevant to the risks and benefits of therapy ....
  • Health care
    Health care

    File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
    , Acronyms in healthcare
    Acronyms in healthcare

    The following is a partial list of acronyms commonly used in health care. The terms listed are used within the health care systems of :Category:Healthcare by country....
  • Health economics
    Health economics

    Health economics is a branch of economics concerned with issues related to scarcity in the allocation of health and health care. Broadly, health economists study the functioning of the health care system and the private and social causes of health-affecting behaviors such as smoking....
  • History of medicine
    History of medicine

    All human societies have medicine beliefs that provide explanations for childbirth, death, and disease. Throughout history, illness has been attributed to witchcraft, demons, adverse astrology, or the will of the deity....
  • Medical ethics
    Medical ethics

    Medical ethics is primarily a field of applied ethics, the study of moral values and judgments as they apply to medicine. As a scholarly discipline, medical ethics encompasses its practical application in clinical settings as well as work on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology....
  • Medical informatics
  • Pharmaceutical industry
  • Preventive medicine
    Preventive medicine

    Preventive medicine or preventive care is measures taken to prevent illness or injury, rather than curing them. This type of care is best exemplified by hand washing and immunizations....
  • Public health
    Public health

    Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis....
  • Publicly-funded health care
    Publicly-funded health care

    Publicly-funded health care is health care that is paid for by the government. It is financed entirely or primarily by taxes instead of by private payments to for-profit insurance companies , or directly to health care providers ....


External links and references