What is Physiology

 What is Physiology

The human body is an unparalleled organic machine that is both weak and extremely powerful at the same time. The distinctive ability of human is to adapt to every environment. Due to this ability, for thousands of years, the human body has been facing various adversaries, epidemics, changing weather patterns and psychological disorders and at every stage, it is running on its own. That is because the human body has the ability to control and change its internal environment.

This internal environment or Milieu Interior is a very complex system of biochemical reactions. Of the trillions of cells that make up our body, not a single cell can survive alone because every cell and every molecule that makes it depends on others for its functions and that is why the human body has developed the ability to adapt to the environment.

To explain it Bernard proposed the Milieu Interior theory which was further developed by Walter Cannon who coined the term Homeostasis, which is very close to the theory of the Tabiat as proposed in the Unani system of medicine. This is the state in which the body maintains its internal environment at a certain level and if there is any change in it then this system makes it normal again.

The state of Homeostasis depends on the following factors-

·        Adequate and necessary amounts of gases, nutrients and ions are present.

·        The external and internal temperature should be appropriate.

·        The internal and external pressure of the cells should be adequate.

·        The chemical reactions should be happening at optimum.

Maintenance of Homeostasis is health and its disturbance is disease. Homeostasis is always random, but the systems in the body keep it in balance all the time. The process of studying this system is called Physiology.

Physiology is called a Tripod Science in which physics, chemistry and anatomy are its three legs or pillars as they are the basis of physiology. The term physiology is derived from the Greek word Physiologikos, which means study of body (Physios=body, logikos=study). The term was coined by the French physician Jean Fernel in 1552.

The realm of physiology is the study of functions of the whole body. According to this science, disease is not a supernatural or spiritual occurrence, but is always subject to the established scientific principles, so any function of body must be considered on the basis of the principles laid down by physics, chemistry and anatomy. These functions and dysfunctions should be explained on the basis of these principles.

In short, the purpose of physiology is to study and explain the normal and abnormal functions of human body.

In terms of structures and functions, the human body is a collection of cells. Tissue is formed by cells that have the same or similar functions. An organ is formed from different tissues and a system is formed from different organs. A body is made up of different systems. Being human does not only depend on the structure and functions of the body but also humanity is a higher function which requires study of genetics and psychology to understand. In addition, history, external conditions and society & culture also influence physiology.