Basic Medical Vocabulary
Terms
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- to draw away form the median plane or from the axial line of a limb.
- Abduct
- before meals
- a.c.
- a localized collection of pus buried in tissues, organs, or confined spaces.
- Abscess
- Immunity resulting from the development of antibodies in response to the presence of an antigen, as from vaccination or exposure to an infectious disease.
- Active immunity
- as desired, freely
- ad lib.
- the act of drawing toward the median plane, or drawing the digits toward the axial line of the limb
- Adduct
- The sticking together of parts to one another, which may occur abnormally; remaining in proximity; a fibrous tissue by which parts abnormally stick together
- adhesions
- Activities of daily living
- ADL
- without fever
- Afebrile
- acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
- AIDS
- Pain
- -algia
- baldness; absence of hair from skin areas where it is normally present
- alopecia
- the act of walking
- ambulation
- a medication that relieves pain
- analgesia
- a condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, hemoglobin or both.
- Anemia
- pertaining to or producing anesthesia; an agent that produces anesthesia
- anesthetic
- aneurysm - a sac formed by localized dilation of an artery or vein, or of the heart.
- aneurism
- a tumor whose cells tend to form blood or lymph vessels.
- angioma
- situated in front of in the forward part of an organism.
- anterior
- preventing blood clotting.
- Anticoagulant
- preventing or relieving depression; an agent that is used to treat the symptoms of depression.
- antidepressant
- any substance that is capable, under appropriate conditions, of inducing a specific immune response and of reacting with the products of that response.
- Antigen
- Relieving or reducing fever; an agent that relieves or reduces fever.
- antipyretics
- Defect or loss of the power of expression by speech, writing or signs, or of comprehending spoken or written language, because of injury or disease of the brain.
- Aphasia
- Inflammation of the vermiform appendix.
- Appendicitis
- Unequal curvature of the refractive surfaces of the eye
- astigmatism
- Not causing damage or injury.
- atraumatic
- A wasting away; a diminution in the size of a cell, tissue, organ, or part.
- atrophy
- The act of listening for sounds within the body, chiefly for ascertaining the condition of the lungs, heart, pleura, abdomen, and other organs, and for the detection of pregnancy.
- auscultation
- Pertaining to the axilla.
- Axillary
- Two times a day.
- B.i.d.
- The presence of bacteria in the blood.
- bacteremia
- Not malignant; not recurrent; favorable for recovery.
- Benign
- Having two sides, or pertaining to both sides.
- bilateral
- Inflammation of the eyelid.
- blepharitis
- A type of food poisoning caused by a neurotoxin produced by the growth of Clostridium borulinum in improperly canned or preserved foods.
- Botulism
- Slow
- brady-
- A large vesicle, greater than 1 cm in circumference, containing fluid.
- Bulla
- The study of the heart and its functions.
- cardiology
- Enlargement of the heart.
- Cardiomegaly
- An opacity of the eye, or in the lens or capsule, that impairs vision or causes blindness.
- cataract
- complete blood count
- CBC
- Center for Disease Control
- CDC
- Headache
- cephalgia
- A cyst of a tarsal gland.
- chalazion
- Central Nervous System
- CNS
- Surgical construction of an artificial excretory opening from the colon.
- Colonostomy
- An injury resulting from impact with an object; loss of function associated with a blow or fall.
- concussion
- Present at or existing from the time of birth.
- Congenital
- Inflammation of the conjunctiva, the membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the sclera.
- conjunctivitis
- Cerebral Spinal Fluid
- CSF
- cerebrovascular accident
- CVA
- Blueness of the skin and mucous membranes.
- cyanosis
- Inflammation of the lacrimal sac.
- dacryocystitis
- To remove foreign material and contaminated or devitalized tissue by sharp dissection.
- Debride
- A bedsore.
- decubitus
- Removal of water from a substance; the condition that results from excessive loss of body water.
- dehydration
- Loss of intellectual function caused by organic brain disease.
- dementia
- The study of the skin and skin diseases.
- Dermatology
- The art of distinguishing one disease from another; determination of the nature of the cause of disease.
- diagnosis
- The act of stretching.
- Dilation
- The perception of two images of a single object.
- diplopia
- Far or distant from the origin or point of attachment.
- Distal
- An abnormal state or condition.
- dyscrasia
- Difficulty in swallowing.
- dysphagia
- A small hemorrhagic spot, larger than a petechia, in the skin or mucous membrane forming a nonelevated, round or irregular, blue or purplish patch.
- Ecchymosis
- excision (surgical removal or cutting out)
- -ectomy
- An abnormal accumulation of fluid in intercellular spaces in the tissues.
- Edema
- electroencephalogram
- EEG
- electrocardiogram
- EKG
- Vomiting; an act of vomiting.
- Emesis
- condition of the blood
- -emia
- The science that studies the endocrine glands and the hormones they produce.
- endocrinology
- A specialist in epidemiology.
- epidemiologist
- An eating away; a kind of ulceration or destruction of the surface of a tissue.
- Erosion
- Redness of the skin produced by congestion of the capillaries.
- erythema
- A red blood cell. Mature form is a is a nonnucleated, biconcave disk.
- erythrocyte
- Removal, as of an organ, by cutting.
- excision
- To remove in scales or layers
- exfoliate
- Outside the eye.
- Extraocular
- Pertaining to or characterized by fever.
- Febrile
- Pertaining to the stomach.
- Gastric
- The study of the stomach and intestines and associated diseases.
- gastroenterology
- A group of eye diseases characterized by an increase in intraocular pressure, which causes pathologic changes in the optic disk and typical defects in the field of vision.
- glaucoma
- Bedtime; hour of sleep
- h.s.
- Any localized collection of blood, usually clotted, in an organ, tissue, or space.
- Hematoma
- The formation and development of blood cells.
- hematopoiesis
- Paralysis of one side of the body.
- hemiplegia
- Destruction of red blood cells that results in the liberation of hemoglobin.
- hemolysis
- Protrusion of an organ of part of it through an abnormal opening.
- Hernia
- beneath or below normal
- hypo-
- Abnormal decrease in hemoglobin content of erythrocytes
- hypochromia
- Produced by physician or treatment
- Iatrogenic
- Occurring without known cause, self originated
- Idiopathic
- A cut or wound produced by a sharp instrument; the act of cutting
- Incision
- A localized protective response elicited by injury or destruction of tissues
- Inflammation
- Examine carefully
- inspection
- Within eye
- intraocular
- Situated on , pertaining to, same side
- ipsilateral
- inflammation
- -itis
- Yellowishness of skin, sclera, excretions b/c/>bilirubin in blood
- jaundice
- Sharply elevated, irregularly shaped, progressively enlarging scar from excessive amounts collagen in dermis during CT repair
- Keloid
- Pertaining to the tears
- Lacrimal
- Organ of the voice, air passage between lower pharynx and trachea
- Larynx
- Pertaining to a side, position farther from median plane
- Lateral
- White blood cell (WBC)
- leukocyte
- Deficiency in # WBCs
- leukocytopenia
- stone; calculus
- -lith
- Lower left quadrant
- LLQ
- process of loosening, freeing, or destroying
- -lysis
- Discolored spot on skin not elevated above surface
- Macule
- Morbid softness or softening of a tissue or part
- Malacia
- Tending to grow worse and threatening to result in death
- Malignant
- breast
- Mast- or mast(o)
- Inflammation of the breast
- Mastitis
- Middle or midline of body
- Medial
- enlargement
- -megaly
- Inflammation of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal chord; caused by infectious organisms
- meningitis
- Nearsightedness, rays of light brought into focus in front of retina
- Myopia
- Pertaining to the nose
- Nasal
- Death of tissue
- necrosis
- Treatment of newborn infant
- neonatology
- Tumor, new and abnormal growth; benign or malignant
- neoplasm
- Surgical excision of kidney
- Nephrectomy
- kidney
- Nephro-
- Specialist in treatment of nervous diseases
- neurologist
- Disorders in which symptoms are distressing to person, behavior does not violate social norms and no apparent organic cause
- neurosis
- Originating in hospital
- Nosocomial
- Nothing by mouth
- NPO
- Branch surgery deals with management of pregnancy and delivery
- obstetrics
- Use of productive or creative activity in treatment, rehabilitation of physically or emotionally disabled people
- occupational therapy
- Obsessive compulsive behavior
- OCD
- Specialist in study and treatment of tumors
- oncologist
- vision
- -opia
- Pertaining to eye
- opthalmic
- Study of eye and its diseases
- opthalmology
- Pertaining to oral cavity or mouth
- Oral
- bone
- Osteo-
- Surgical formation of a new opening
- -ostomy
- Pertaining to ear
- Otic
- Inflammation of ear
- Otitis
- When necessary
- p.r.n.
- Act of feeling with hand
- palpation
- Red, elevated, solid and circumscribed area of skin
- Papule
- Paralysis of legs and lower part of body
- paraplegia
- Abnormal touch sensation, i.e. burning stinging, often in absence of external stimulus
- Paresthesia
- Disease causing agent or microorganism
- pathogen
- Indicating or caused by some morbid process
- pathological
- deficiency
- -penia
- Act of striking part with short, sharp blows as an aid in diagnosing condition of underlying parts by sound obtained
- percussion
- Serous membrane that lines walls of abdominal and pelvic cavities and invests organs in those cavities
- Peritoneum
- A pinpoint , non raised, perfectly round, purplish red spot caused by intradermal or submucous hemorrhage
- petechiae
- Throat; cavity behind nasal cavities, mouth, and larynx
- pharynx
- speech
- -phasia
- abnormal fear
- -phobia
- Abnormal intolerance of light
- photophobia
- Treatment of physical dysfunction or treatment by use of therapeutic exercise and application of modalities
- physical therapy
- Surgical repair
- -plasty
- Promote blood clotting
- platelets
- By mouth
- PO
- Back, behind
- posterior
- To but before or in front of
- Prefix
- Prediction of probable outcome of disease
- prognosis
- Lying face downward
- Prone
- Near to point or origin or attachment
- proximal
- Pus – pertaining to, consisting of
- purulent
- Fever or febrile condition
- Pyrexia
- Four times per day
- q.i.d.
- Pertaining to rectum
- Rectal
- Dimminuation or abatement of symptoms of disease
- remission
- Any disease of retina
- Retinopathy
- Right upper quadrant
- RUQ
- Pertaining to blood
- sanguinous
- Mental disorder of group comprising most major psychotic disorders
- schizophrenia
- Oily material secreted by sebaceous gland
- sebum
- Pertaining to the body
- Somatic
- Immediately
- Stat
- formation of an opening
- -stomy
- Accumulation of blood in the subdural space - between the dural matter and arachnoid(delicate membrane enclosing spinal chord and brain)
- subdural hematoma
- Lying on back/spine
- Supine
- Stitches, act of stitching; joint in skull
- Suture
- Junction between two neurons
- synapse
- A faint; temporary loss of consciousness because of generalized cerebral ischemia
- syncope
- Three times /day
- t.i.d.
- fast
- tachy-
- Fast heartbeat, fast pulse
- Tachycardia
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
- TENS
- Transient ischemic attach
- TIA
- Ringing of the ears
- Tinnitus
- incision (cutting into tissue)
- -tomy
- The windpipe
- Trachea
- Surgical formation of a new hole in the windpipe
- tracheostomy
- Pertaining to only one side
- unilateral
- vessel
- Vaso-
- Wart; epidermal tumor caused by a pappilovirus
- Verruca
- Sensation of dizziness; as if person is revolving in space
- Vertigo
- Small sac containing fluid
- Vesicle
- Extremely infectious, malignant or poisonous
- Virulent