An overview of human physiology

Human physiology, simply put, is the science of how the human body works. Anatomy, with which physiology is often confused, is the study of what the body is made of.

The systems of the human body.

The human body is made up of multiple systems that work together to ensure the proper functioning of the body. Many of the systems are interconnected and some of the components of one system may also be a component or play an additional role in another system.

There are ten major body systems which are as follows:

• Circulatory system: The heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body through its veins and arteries. Blood needs to circulate throughout the body constantly to provide oxygen and fuel to the organs, muscles, and skin.
• Gastrointestinal system: Starting with the mouth and ending with the rectum, this system processes food into fuel, then expels any waste products from the anus.
• Reproductive system: male and female genitalia and associated organs for reproduction
• Endocrine system: it is made up of all the major glands that are responsible for the hormonal communication system of the body
• Integumentary system: this is a long word for the covering of the body, that is, the skin, nails, and hair, as well as the sweat pads. In addition to acting as a “vessel” for body contents and organ protection, the skin is covered with sensors and transmits these sensory signals to the brain.
• Musculoskeletal system: the skeleton and muscles responsible for our overall structure and shape
• Respiratory system: the nose, trachea, and lungs that ensure the body absorbs enough oxygen
• Urinary system: responsible for expelling unwanted wastewater from the blood, called urea
• Nervous system: this network of nerves connects the brain with the rest of the body. The brain carries out thought and is capable of producing emotions and processing the senses, that is, sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing.
• Immune system: This system protects or tries to protect the body from disease and illness. If a foreign body enters and tries to attack the body, the immune system sends out proteins to try to destroy it.

All of these systems have their own fields of physiology that are usually studied as separate modules. Students with a particular taste or bias towards one area may choose to become specialists in that field. For example, research on the immune system would help with modern conditions like AIDS, and doctors who research this area of ​​physiology, immunology, would become immunologists.

Human physiology is a fascinating subject and just one of many fields of science that doctors study on their way to becoming general practitioners or surgeons. As well as being essential in the field of medicine, a good understanding of human physiology is also vital for sports professionals such as coaches and physical therapists. Also in the world of complementary medicine therapies, such as acupuncture and massage, it is very important to understand how the body works in order to administer treatment effectively without harming the body.