MedTerm SOAP Terms Ex 1

acute

recently started or is a sharp, severe symptom

chronic

has been going on for a while

axacerbation

it is getting worse

abrupt

all of a sudden

febrile

to have a fever

afebrile

to not have a fever

malaise

not feeling well

progressive

more and more each day

symptom

something a patient feels

noncontributory

not related to this specific problem

lethargic

a decrease in level of consciousness

genetic/hereditary

it runs in the family

alert

able to answer questions, responsive

oriented

aware of who and where one is, and the time (oriented x 3)

marked

stands out

unremarkable

normal

ausultation

to listen

percussion

to hit something and listen to the resulting sound or feel for the resulting vibration

palpation

to feel

impression

another way of saying assessment

diagnosis

what the health care professional thinks the patient has

differential diagnosis

a list of conditions the patient may have based on exam results

benign

safe

malignant

dangerous

degeneration

to be getting worse

remission

to get better or improve but not cure

idiopathic

no known specific cause

localized

stays in certain part of body

systemic/generalized

all over most of or all of body

prognosis

the changes for things getting better or worse

occult

hidden

lesion

diseased tissue

recurrent

to have again

sequela

a problem resulting from a disease or injury

pending

waiting for

pathogen

the organism that causes the problem

morbidity

the risk of being sick

mortality

the risk for dying

etiolofy

the cause

disposition

what happened to patient at the end of the visit

discharge

to send home, or a fluid coming out of a body (literal meaning - to unload)

palliative

treating the symptoms; not ridding of the cause

observation

watch

reassurance

to tell the patient that the problem is not serious or dangerous

supportive care

to treat the symptoms and make the patient feel better

sterile

extremely clean

prophylaxis

preventative treatment

proximal

closer in to the center

distal

farther away from the center

lateral

out to the side

medial

toward the middle

ventral/ antral/ anterior

the front

dorsal/ posterior

the back

cranial

toward the top

caudal

toward the bottom

surperior

above

inferior

below

prone

lying down on belly

supine

lying down on back

contralateral

opposite side

ipsilateral

same side

unilateral

one side

bilateral

both sides

dorsum

top of hand or foot

plantar

the sole of the foot

palmar

the palm of the hand

sagittal

divides both from right to left

coronal

divides body from front to back

transverse

divides body from top to bottom