chapter 21

acupuncture (AK-you-punk-cher)

a traditional Chinese medical practice using very thin acupuncture needles inserted into specific points of the body to restore the flow of qi.

albuminuria (al-byou-mih-NEW-ree-ah)

the presence of the protein albumin in the urine.

alternative medicine

a general term for practices and systems of health care other than allopathic approaches used in place of these treatments.

arthrocentesis (ar-throh-sen-TEE-sis)

a surgical puncture of the joint space to remove synovial fluid for analysis to determine the cause of pain or swelling in a joint.

auscultation (aws-kul-TAY-shun)

listening for sounds within the body and is usually performed through a stethoscope.

bacteriuria (back-tee-ree-YOU-ree-ah)

the presence of bacteria in the urine.

basic metabolic panel

(BMP, or Profile 8) is a group of eight specific blood tests that provide important information about the current status of the patient’s kidneys, electrolyte balance, blood sugar, and calcium levels.

biofeedback

a patient-guided treatment that teaches individuals to control muscle tension, pain, body temperature, brain waves, and other bodily functions through relaxation, visualization, and other cognitive control techniques.

bruit (BREW-ee)

an abnormal sound or murmur heard during auscultation of an artery.

calciuria (kal-sih-YOU-ree-ah)

the presence of calcium in the urine.

complementary medicine

a general term for practices and systems of health care other than allopathic approaches used to supplement these treatments.

complete blood count

(CBC) is a series of tests performed as a group to evaluate several blood conditions.

computed tomography (toh-MOG-rah-fee)

(CT), sometimes referred to as computerized axial tomography (CAT), is a scan that uses a thin, fan-shaped x-ray beam that rotates around the patient to produce multiple cross-sectional views of the body.

craniosacral therapy

(kray-nee-oh-SAK-ral)

the use of gentle touch to help the body release tension, stress, and trauma to correct restrictions resulting from stress on the central nervous system.

creatinuria (kree-at-ih-NEW-ree-ah)

an increased concentration of creatinine in the urine.

echocardiography (eck-oh-kar-dee-OG-rah-fee)

an ultrasonic diagnostic procedure used to evaluate the structures and motion of the heart.

endoscope (EN-doh-skope)

a small, flexible tube with a light and a lens on the end.

fluoroscopy (floo-ROS-koh-pee)

the visualization of body parts in motion by projecting x-ray images on a luminous fluorescent screen.

glycosuria (glye-koh-SOO-ree-ah)

the presence of glucose in the urine.

guided imagery

or visualization, is a type of treatment in which a patient follows verbal prompts to envision a specific, peaceful location in detail, distancing him- or herself from any pain or stress the patient is currently experiencing.

hematocrit (hee-MAT-oh-krit)

(Hct) describes the percentage, by volume, of a blood sample occupied by red cells.

hematuria (hee-mah-TOO-ree-ah)

the presence of blood in the urine.

homeopathy (hoh-mee-OP-ah-thee)

involves the use of substances created from plant or mineral products diluted a thousand-fold in water or alcohol to treat symptoms and diseases.

hyperthermia (high-per-THER-mee-ah)

an extremely high body temperature, usually caused by prolonged exposure to environmental heat.

hypothermia (high-poh-THER-mee-ah)

an abnormally low body temperature.

integrative medicine

a model of health care based on both allopathic and alternative medicine

interventional radiology

the use of radiographic imaging to guide a procedure such as a biopsy.

ketonuria (kee-toh-NEW-ree-ah)

the presence of ketones in the urine.

laparoscopy (lap-ah-ROS-koh-pee)

the visual examination of the interior of the abdomen with the use of a laparoscope that is passed through a small incision in the abdominal wall.

lithotomy position (lih-THOT-oh-mee)

the patient is lying on the back, face up, with the feet and legs raised and supported in stirrups.

magnetic resonance imaging

(MRI) uses a combination of radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create signals that are sent to a computer and converted into images of any plane through the body.

mindfulness meditation

focuses on becoming aware of thoughts and emotions and their physiological responses, as well as accepting them and maintaining a calm, constant awareness.

naturopathy (nay-cher-AH-pah-thee)

also known as naturopathic medicine, is a combination of nutrition, medicinal supplements and herbs, water therapy, homeopathy, and lifestyle modifications used to identify and treat the root causes of symptoms and diseases.

neuromuscular therapy

(NMT) is a form of massage that uses soft-tissue manipulation focusing on applying pressure to trigger points to treat injuries and alleviate pain.

nuclear imaging

the use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic purposes.

ophthalmoscope (ahf-THAL-moh-skope)

an instrument used to examine the interior of the eye.

otoscope (OH-toh-skope)

an instrument used to visually examine the external ear canal and tympanic membrane.

percussion (per-KUSH-un)

a diagnostic procedure designed to determine the density of a body part by the sound produced by tapping the surface with the fingers.

perfusion (per-FYOU-zhun)

the flow of blood through an organ.

pericardiocentesis (pehr-ih-kar-dee-oh-sen-TEE-sis)

the puncture of the pericardial sac for the purpose of removing fluid.

phlebotomy (fleh-BOT-oh-mee)

also known as venipuncture, is the puncture of a vein for the purpose of drawing blood.

positron emission tomography

(PET), also known as PET imaging, combines computed tomography with radionuclide tracers, usually inserted into a vein, to produce enhanced images of selected body organs or areas.

prone position

the patient is lying on the abdomen face down.

proteinuria (proh-teen-UHR-ree-ah)

the presence of an abnormal amount of protein in the urine.

pyuria (pye-YOU-ree-ah)

the presence of pus in the urine.

radiolucent (ray-dee-oh-LOO-sent)

the substance, such as air or nitrogen gas, allows x-rays to pass through and appears black or dark gray on the resulting film.

radiopaque (ray-dee-oh-PAYK)

the substance does not allow x-rays to pass through and appears white or light gray on the resulting film.

rales (RAHLZ)

also known as crackles, are abnormal crackle-like lung sounds heard through a stethoscope during inspiration (breathing in).

recumbent (ree-KUM-bent)

any position in which the patient is lying down.

rhonchi (RONG-kye)

coarse rattling sounds that are somewhat like snoring. These sounds are usually caused by secretions in the bronchial airways (singular, rhonchus).

Sims’ position

the patient is lying on the left side with the right knee and thigh drawn up with the left arm placed along the back.

single photon emission computed tomography

(SPECT) is a type of nuclear imaging test that produces 3D computer-reconstructed images showing perfusion through tissues and organs.

speculum (SPECK-you-lum)

an instrument used to enlarge the opening of any canal or cavity, especially the vagina, to facilitate inspection of its interior.

sphygmomanometer (sfig-moh-mah-NOM-eh-ter)

blood pressure (BP) is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries. This force is measured using a sphygmomanometer.

stethoscope (STETH-oh-skope)

an instrument used to listen to sounds within the body.

stridor (STRYE-dor)

an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound caused by a blockage in the throat or in the larynx (voice box).

transesophageal echocardiography (trans-eh-sof-ah-JEE-al eck-oh-kar-dee-OG-rah-fee)

(TEE) is an ultrasonic imaging technique used to evaluate heart structures.

ultrasonography (ul-trah-son-OG-rah-fee)

commonly referred to as ultrasound or diagnostic ultrasound, is imaging of deep body structures by recording the echoes of sound wave pulses that are above the range of human hearing.

urinalysis

(you-rih-NAL-ih-sis)

the examination of the physical and chemical properties of urine to determine the presence of abnormal elements.