Differences between syndrome, disorder and disease

Do you know the differences between syndrome, disorder and disease? Although they may seem similar concepts, they present small differences. All of them, however, share a common characteristic: the presence of symptoms.

It is convenient to know how to differentiate these three concepts, especially if we work in the field of health or mental health. In this article we are going to learn about these differences, and for them we are going to define each of these terms. In addition, we will put examples of each one.

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Symptoms and signs: what are they and how are they different?

Before knowing the differences between syndrome, disorder and disease and delving into each of these concepts, we must understand what is a symptom and what is a sign, elements present in each of them.

A symptom is an alteration of the organism, which manifests itself in different ways; It is something subjective, which depends on the explanation and experience of the patient (for example, hallucinations typical of schizophrenia, fatigue, anhedonia, malaise, migraine, etc.).

On the other hand, a sign is something objective (it is something that can be verified empirically), such as a seizure, reduced hours of sleep, a bruise, a redness, etc. That is, a sign is also an alteration of the organism, but in this case it can be verified (the patient cannot alter or condition its appearance; the symptom, on the other hand, yes).

Both symptoms and signs indicate the presence, in the patient, of a disease, pathology, syndrome or disorder. Knowing these signs and symptoms well will help us determine the type of condition that the patient has, as well as its causes.

Differences between syndrome, disorder and disease: what does each consist of?

Now, to know the differences between syndrome, disorder and disease, we are going to see what each of them consists of.

1. Syndrome

Logically, we can see more clearly what the differences are between syndrome, disorder and disease after knowing exactly what each of these concepts is.

A syndrome is a set of symptoms that appear together (although this can vary over time, as well as the type of symptoms). Thus, the symptoms may disappear over time (although this rarely occurs in syndromes related to developmental disorders). The result of suffering from a syndrome is a clinical condition that can be characterized by one or more health problems.

Syndromes can appear as a consequence of a known cause (for example a genetic alteration) or unknown. The different symptoms that characterize a syndrome help medical professionals to recognize which syndrome it is; in addition, sometimes a syndrome determines a specific disorder.

On the other hand, some syndromes may be the manifestation of a specific disease (but not all syndromes are diseases!). In addition, more specifically, the pathological picture that causes the syndrome may be caused by a disease or by more than one at a time (that is, more than one concurrent).

Examples of syndromes are: Fragile X Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome, Irritated Bowel Syndrome, etc. We are going to continue looking at the differences between syndrome, disorder and disease, with the definition of disorder and disease.

2. Disorder

The definition of a disorder goes a bit beyond symptoms; So, a disorder encompasses a series of specific symptoms associated with a specific pathology, but it also encompasses patient behaviors and actions.

Disorders are not always linked to disease, although sometimes they are; thus, they are associated with the field of health (especially mental health, as we will see later). This is so because it is an area where its incidence and affectation are very high.

On the other hand, disorders appear as a consequence of suffering from certain cognitive pathologies (for example, a cognitive disorder), mental pathologies (for example schizophrenia disorder) or developmental pathologies (for example spectrum disorder autistic).

In the field of mental health, mental disorders, as the name suggests, are considered disorders as such in the DSM (Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders). The disorders indicate an alteration in the functioning of the person; in this way, the person may show difficulties in adapting to life or in leading a life considered "normal" (as for example occurs with personality disorders).

Thus, compared to their reference group, a person with a disorder would have certain difficulties when it comes to relating, surviving or adapting to the environment.

2.1. Mental disorders

As we have seen, mental disorders have to do with the way in which the person relates to their environment. Rarely does a mental disorder have a single genetic or organic cause; Thus, in reality, mental disorders originate from the interaction of different factors: genetic, environmental, personal, social ...

On the other hand, sometimes environmental circumstances occur in the life of the person (external causes) that, in combination with a genetic predisposition or individual vulnerability, they end up developing the mental disorder (for example a delirious).

In this way, many times mental disorders they have more to do with an altered perception of things, than with a real physical alteration of the brain (although this second aspect is studied in many cases).

3. Disease

The disease is an alteration of the normal functioning of an organism (which can be mild, moderate or severe), or some parts of it. A disease appears as a consequence of a specific cause, whether external or internal. Thus, being sick implies the absence of health.

In order for us to speak of disease, at least two of the following conditions must appear: (objective) signs or symptoms identifiable (subjective), consistent anatomical alterations and / or a specific (recognizable) etiological cause that the professional may decide.

In addition, the patient's alteration must reflect the characteristics of the WHO (World Health Organization) definition of disease and health. The definition of health, dated 1946, is the following: "the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not only the absence of affections and / or diseases." On the other hand, a few years later, in 1992, the following was added to this definition: “and in harmony with the environment”.

Examples of diseases there are thousands; We can find diseases of all systems, organs or parts of the body: heart, brain, circulatory, dermatological, autoimmune, blood, eye diseases, etc. We are going to see concrete examples of each of these groups of diseases (only some):

• Blood diseases: anemia, hemophilia, leukemia ...
• Autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis ...
• Endocrine diseases: diabetes, obesity, galactosemia ...
• Infectious diseases: herpes, AIDS, cystitis ...

Thus, with the definition of disease we have just seen the many differences - although sometimes subtle - between syndrome, disorder and disease.

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Bibliographic references

• Friend, I. (2012). Psychological manual of health. Madrid: Pyramid.

• WHO (2000). ICD-10. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition. Madrid. Pan American.

• Royal Spanish Academy. (2001). Dictionary of the Spanish Language [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (22nd ed.). Madrid, Spain: Author.