Medical word meanings (A & B)

Abdomen

lower part of torso; the belly

Abduction

taking away; the opposite of adduction (bringing toward)

Abiotrophy

loss of function or degeneration, for unknown reasons

Abortifacient

something that causes abortion

Abscission

cutting away, as in surgery

Acapnia

lower than normal level of carbon dioxide in the blood

achondroplasia

genetic disorder of bone growth causing dwarfism

acne vulgaris

kind of skin eruptions most commonly found in teens, caused by constriction of oil glands

acrocyanosis

blueness of the hands and feet, caused by constriction of the arterioles supplying blood to them

acromegaly

enlarges hands and feet, thickened skin and soft tissues; caused by too much human growth hormone

adenocarcinoma

cancer that develops in the lining or inner surface of an organ

adenoidectomy

removal of the adenoids

adenomyosis

common condition in which the endometrium of the uterus grows into the myometrium

adrenoleukodystrophy

genetic disorder causing the breakdown of myelin sheath of nerve cells in the brain, with progressive dysfunction of the adrenal gland

agammaglobulinemia

absence of infection-fighting proteins in the blood; can be caused by HIV/AIDS

agranulocytosis

marked decrease of granulocytes

albuminuria

greater than normal amount of albumin in urine

amenorrhea

cessation of menstration

amyloidosis

disease resulting from abnormal deposits of amyloid protein in various parts of the body

analgesic

relieving pain

aneurysm

bulge in the wall of a blood vessel or the heart

angeioedema

red, itchy, irritated areas in the skin; similar to hives but in deeper layers

anhydrosis

too little sweating

anopthalmia

congenital absence of the eye

anoxia

lack of oxygen

antenatal

before birth

aphagia

inability to eat

aphasia

literally “no speech”

aphrasia

inability to speak phrases or to understand them

apiphobia

fear the bees

apoptosis

programmed cell death, occurs normally to systemically replace old cells

apraxia

inability to move, despite normal muscle function, caused by dysfunction in the cortex of the brain

arbovirus

arthropod borne virus; transmitted by mosquitos, ticks, etc.

arrhythmia

abnormal heartbeat

arteriogram

x-ray of the blood vessels

arthrocentesis

using a sterile needle and syringe to draw fluid from a joint

arthoscopy

inserting a small tube into a joint to view, diagnose, and repair

aseptic

absence of microorganisms

asphyxia

imparied breathing

arteriosclerosis

hardening and thickening of the artery walls

atherosclerosis

progressive deposit of plaque on the inside walls of arteries

azoospermia

no sperm cells at all

azotemia

higher than normal level of urea or nitrogen compounds in the blood, usually caused by the inability of the kidney to excrete them

bacillus

any of a family of rod-shaped bacteria

bacteremia

presence of bacteria in the blood

bacteriophage

a virus living inside a bacterium

balantis

inflammation of the head of the penis

balanoposthitis

in uncircumcised males, inflammation of both the head of the penis and the foreskin

barosinusitis

discomfort of the sinuses due to a change in altitude or barometirc pressure

bathophobia

fear of depths

bicuspid

literally two flapped

biliary atresia

congenital absence or closure of bile ducts

bilirubin

yellow-orange compound produced normally by the breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells

biological

of life

blepharospasm

involuntary, forcible close of the eyelids

brachycephaly

short head from front to back, resulting in moon face generally seen in down syndrome

bronchopulmonary

relating to the air passages of both the bronchi and the lung itself

brucellosis

undulant fever, transmitted by brucella bacteria through infected dairy products or their carcasses

bruxism

grinding or gnashing of teeth