Health sciences are the group of disciplines of applied science dealing with human and animal health. There are two parts to Health Sciences: the study, research and development of the knowledge of health, and the application of that knowledge to improve health, cure diseases, and understand how humans and animals function. Research builds primarily on the basic sciences of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics as well as social sciences (for example Medical Sociology). Other fields which have made an especially significant contribution to the Health Sciences include Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Engineering, Epidemiology, Genetics, Nursing, Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Public Health, and Medicine. The Health Sciences industry, a multi-billion dollar business, is a subset of the Life Sciences, Medical Care, and Diagnosis industries.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and introduction to health science:

Essence of health science

Main article: Health science

Branches of health science

Conventional Western disciplines

• Athletic training
• Dentistry
• Dietetics
• Epidemiology
• Exercise physiology
• Genetic counseling
• Medical physics
• Medicine
• Medical technology
• Nursing
• Nutrition
• Occupational therapy
• Optometry
• Osteopathic medicine (Note: Osteopathy, as practiced in most countries other than the USA, is listed under complementary and alternative practices below)
• Pharmacology
• Physical therapy (physiotherapy)
• Psychoanalysis
• Psychotherapy, including Cognitive therapy
• Public health
• Physical education
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Surgery, including anaesthesiology
• Veterinary medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine

• Alternative Medicine
• Biomedical model
• Biopsychosocial model
• Body treatment
• Complementary medicine
• Energy medicine
• Energy (spirituality)
• Healer
• Health applications and clinical studies of meditation
• Holistic health
• Home remedy
• Homeopathy
• Manipulative therapy
• Manual therapy
• Medical model
• Mind-body intervention
• Nocebo
• NCCAM
• Placebo
• Program for Evaluating Complementary Medicine
• Rejuvenation (aging)
• Self-healing
• Traditional medicine
• Wellness (alternative medicine)
• World medical systems

Spiritually-based healing

• Christian Science
• Faith healing
• Johrei
• Maharishi Vedic Medicine
• Shamanism

Traditional medicine and folk medicine

• Ayurveda
• Folk medicine
• Medical herbalism
• Native American traditional healing
• Shamanism
• Traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture
• Traditional Korean medicine

History of health science

Main article: History of health science

• History of biology
• History of medicine
• History of nutrition
• History of optometry

Basic health science concepts

health - disease - doctor - physician - surgeon - surgery - healing - healer - witch-doctor - hospital - nurse - medication - operation - Public Health -

Diagnostic methods

physical examination - medical history - auscultation - stethoscope - percussion - medical imaging - X-ray - medical ultrasonography - blood work -

Medical specialities by organ system:

Cardiology

• Congenital heart disease
• ASD, VSD, Aortic coarctation, Tetralogy of Fallot
• Myocarditis
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Coronary heart disease
• Cardiac arrhythmias

Respiratory

• Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Tuberculosis
• Asthma
• Lung cancer
• Allergy

Gastrointestinal

• Oesophagus
• Heartburn
• Reflux esophagitis
• Barretts disease
• Hiatus hernia
• Cancer of oesophagus
• Oesophageal pouch
• Achalasia

Stomach

• Gastric ulcer
• stomach cancer
• Helicobacter pylori
• GERD
• Mallory-Weiss syndrome
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

Small bowel

Duodenal atresia ~ Giardiasis ~ Coeliac disease ~ Crohn's disease ~ Intestinal volvulus ~ Lymphoma ~ Meckel's diverticulum ~ Malabsorption ~

Appendix

• Appendicitis
• Carcinoid tumour

Colon

• Infective colitis
• Intestinal volvulus
• Hirschprung disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Cancer
• Crohn's disease
• Diverticulitis
• Diarrhea
• Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS

Liver

• Viral hepatitis
• Nonviral hepatitis
• Hepatocarcinoma
• Metastatic tumor
• Jaundice
• Liver transplant

Gallbladder

• Gallstones
• Cholecystitis
• Gallbladder cancer

Endocrine disease

Thyroid

• Thyroiditis
• Hashimoto thyroididtis, autoimmune thyroid disease
• Hypothyroidism
• Graves Disease
• Thyroid cancer

Parathyroid disease

• Hyperparathyroidism
• Hypoparathyroidism

Pituitary hormones

• Acromegaly
• Prolactinoma
• Pituitary tumours
• gigantism
• dwarfism

Adrenal cortex

• Cushing's disease
• Conn's syndrome
• Adrenal failure

Pancreas

• Pancreatitis
• Diabetes
• Carcinoma of pancreas
• Cystic fibrosis and the pancreas

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

• Child birth
• Cesarean section
• Pre-eclampsia
• Amniocentesis
• Chorionic villus biopsy
• Home birth
• Premature labour
• Miscarriage
• Abortion
• Abruption
• Placenta praevia
• Hydatiform mole

Renal

• Pyelonephritis
• Glomerulonephritis
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Renal carcinoma
• Renal failure
• Renal dialysis
• Test of renal function
• Kidney stones

Urology and Andrology

Rheumatology

Neurology

• Cerebral palsy
• Mental retardation

Psychiatry

Dermatology

• Eczema
• Contact dermatitis
• Psoriasis
• Lichen simplex chronicus
• Seborrhoeic dermatitis
• Ring worm
• Tinea
• Vitiligo
• Baldness
• Lichen planus
• Viral warts
• Impetigo
• Seborrheic keratosis

Oncology

Ophthalmology

Palliative care

Surgical specialties

• Neurosurgery
• Ear nose and throat
• Ophthalmology
• Head and neck.
• Thoracic
• Abdominal and colo-rectal
• Orthopaedics
• Trauma surgery
• Plastic surgery

Diagnostic specialities

• Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Anatomical pathology
• Forensic Pathology
• Microbiology
• Haematology
• Biochemical pathology
• Immunology

See also

• Academic Health Science Centre

External links

• Links to Health Professions Websites
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
• The US National Library of Medicine