SYMPTOMS Signs and Symbolism in Medical Discourse :: Essays Papers

SYMPTOMS Signs and Symbolism in Medical talk over Whether it is regarded as disease or illness, whether it occurs in a society practicing biomedicine or a culture practicing indigenous medicine, castness is universal. Diseases and illnesses of all types plague from each one and every society throughout the world. Central to the idea of sickness is the diagnostic element of the symptom. Although many cultures have unique ideologies regarding sickness, heal, and efficacy, these cultures use the symptom as the primary instrument to maintain their culturally constructed idea of health. Regardless of the healing system or society, globally, people tend to use the symptom as a tool to communicate illness to the appropriate medical practitioner. In seeking the healing action of practitioners and the advice of friends and family, the sick communicate their symptoms as a way of receiving brotherly legitimization for their illness. Thus, symptoms are also used by the sic k to gain legitimization of the sick role from society. Just as culture is integrate in the beliefs and behaviors of every society, symptoms are deeply embedded in the purpose of sickness and healing. Symptoms add clarity to the complex ideas of sickness and healing in such a way that it is difficult to discuss either do without touching on these symbols. The symptom is regarded as a vital sidetrack of the illness experience because it offers insight into the physiological and psychological aspects of the patients body. In this way, the symptom symbolizes the roots of a tree, anchoring a societal collar of medical knowledge and healing etiologies. Therefore, it is the purpose of this paper to explore the moment of symptoms and determine their centrality to a cultures ideas of sickness and healing. Related topics such as the symptoms significance in the process of social legitimization of illness and its symbolic nature will serve to supplement and actualize t he argument that symptoms are, in fact, central in the process of healing.Definition and sizeableness of the Symptom Due to the intricacy of the symptom, it is difficult to construct a simple-minded definition. Illness symptoms are differently labeled by individuals in different social situations (Browner 1983 494).