Treating new conditions.

Reducing conditions and behaviors to uniform diagnoses and treatments by health care professionals has become the dominant paradigm of health in the 21st Century. This is the chief reason economists confidently forecast a $3.4 trillion health care industry â�‚��€� 18.4 percent of the gross domestic product in 2013. Of that figure, one trillion is spent on diagnosing and treating diseases.

Simply put, more of us seek medical solutions for our conditions and behaviors. Previously conditions such as menopause, shyness and symptoms of old age were considered typical and dealt with privately. Now, they are worthy of medical intervention. Patrick Tranmer, M.D., department head of family medicine at the University of Illinois, Chicago says that he feels patients are becoming more aware of the spectrum of health and what preventive measures they can take.

We have inherited the right to pursue happiness and demand the right to actually achieve it. And, because a key part to being happy is being healthy, the consumer-driven wellness revolution is certain to become a part of medical science in the years to come.

For instance, thresholds for cardiovascular disease risk factors such as hypertension and cholesterol have been lowered, leading to an increased number of people to be categorized as â�‚��“in need of treatmentâ�‚�? or qualify for precursor conditions such as pre-hypertension. Cancer screenings can now detect more precancerous lesions. And, genetic tests have the potential to detect diseases early, before symptoms even appear.

Some experts agree that the growth of medical information available empowers patients. Many physicians say their patients are more likely to take action rather than taking to their beds.