EMT Chs. 5-8

Four components of a medical term

word root - prefix - suffix - combining vowel

Word root

foundation of the word that conveys its essential meaning and often indicates a body part or organ or organ system

Prefix

comes before the word root and usually describes location or intensity

Suffix

comes after the word root and usually indicates a procedure or condition or disease or part of speech

Combining vowel

vowel that joins a word root to a suffix or another word root and is usually an o but may be i or e

Combining form

combining vowel shown with the word root

When to use a combining vowel

when a suffix begins with a consonant or when a term has more than one word root

Breaking down a medical term

start with the suffix and work backward then define the prefix then the word root

Plural ending a

singular words ending in a change to ae

Plural ending is

singular words ending in is change to es

Plural ending ex or ix

singular words ending in ex or ix change to ices

Plural ending on or um

singular words ending in on or um change to a

Plural ending us

singular words ending in us change to i

Number prefixes

uni- - dipl- - null- - primi- - multi- - bi-

Color word roots

cyan/o - leuk/o - erythr/o - cirrh/o - melan/o

Position and direction prefixes

ab- - ad- - de- - circum- - peri- - trans- - epi- - supra-

Right and left

refer to the patient's right and left sides and not your own

Superior

nearer to the head

Inferior

nearer to the feet

Lateral

farther from the midline (outer)

Medial

closer to the midline (inner)

Proximal

closer to the trunk

Distal

farther from the trunk or nearer to the free end of the extremity

Superficial

closer to or on the skin

Deep

farther inside the body and away from the skin

Anterior (ventral)

front or belly surface of the body

Posterior (dorsal)

back or spinal surface of the body

Palmar

front region of the hand

Plantar

bottom of the foot

Apex

tip of a structure (plural apices)

Flexion

bending of a joint

Extension

straightening of a joint

Adduction

motion toward the midline

Abduction

motion away from the midline

Bilateral

appears on both sides of the midline

Unilateral

appears on only one side of the body

Prone

lying face down

Supine

lying face up

Fowler position

semi-reclining position with head elevated to help breathing and control the airway

Semi-Fowler position

sitting with the back of the stretcher at a 45-degree angle

High-Fowler position

sitting at a 90-degree angle

Nephropathy

disease of the kidney (nephr/o/pathy)

Dysuria

painful or difficult urination (dys/ur/ia)

Hyperemesis

excessive vomiting (hyper/emesis)

Analgesic

pertaining to no pain (an/alges/ic)

Common word part meanings

-pathy is disease - -ia is condition of - dys- is difficult or painful or abnormal - hyper- is excessive - -ic is pertaining to - an- is without - nephr is kidney - ur is urine - alges is pain

Medical abbreviations

shorthand used for faster communication so use only standard accepted ones to avoid errors

Acronym

shortens several words using the first letter of each to make a term pronounced as its own word

Do-not-use list authorities

The Joint Commission and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices

Medical symbols

use only symbols that are widely understood and accepted

Anatomy

study of the physical structure of the body and its systems

Physiology

study of the normal functions and activities of the body and its systems

Pathophysiology

study of the functional changes that accompany a particular disease or syndrome

Topographic anatomy

describes the body in the anatomic position so everyone refers to it the same way

Anatomic position

patient stands facing you with arms at the sides and palms forward

Coronal (frontal) plane

divides the body into front and back

Sagittal (lateral) plane

divides the body into left and right

Midsagittal (midline) plane

divides the body into equal left and right halves

Transverse (axial) plane

divides the body horizontally into top and bottom sections

Cells to systems

cells form tissue - tissues form organs - organs with similar functions form body systems

Skeletal system

made of 206 bones that give the body form and protect vital organs

Axial skeleton

forms the longitudinal axis from the skull to the coccyx and includes the skull and facial bones and thoracic cage and vertebral column

Appendicular skeleton

upper and lower extremities and the points where they connect to the axial skeleton

Ligaments

fibrous tissues that connect bone to bone and stabilize the joint

Cartilage

semirigid flexible tissue that covers and cushions the ends of bones

Tendons

attach muscle to bone

Symphyses

joints where only slight movement is possible

Joint capsule

fibrous sac that holds the bone ends of a joint together

Articular cartilage

allows the ends of bones to glide easily

Synovial membrane

inner lining of the joint capsule that produces synovial fluid

Ball-and-socket joint

allows rotation and bending such as the shoulder

Hinge joint

motion restricted to flexion and extension such as the knee

Skull

28 bones divided into the cranium and facial bones and three small bones in the ear

Cranium

protects the brain and has 4 bones - occiput and temporal and parietal and frontal

Facial bones

14 bones including the maxillae and zygomas and mandible and the nasal bones

Spinal column

33 vertebrae in 5 sections numbered top to bottom and connected by ligaments and cushioned by intervertebral disks

Cervical spine

neck with 7 vertebrae

Thoracic spine

upper back with 12 vertebrae that each have a pair of ribs

Lumbar spine

lower back with 5 vertebrae

Sacrum

back wall of the pelvis made of 5 fused vertebrae

Coccyx

tailbone made of 4 fused vertebrae

Thorax

formed by 12 thoracic vertebrae and 12 pairs of ribs and contains the heart and lungs and esophagus and great vessels

Sternum

midline of the chest made of the manubrium and body and xiphoid process

Upper extremity

extends from the shoulder girdle (clavicle and scapula and humerus) to the fingertips with the humerus as the supporting bone of the arm

Radius

forearm bone on the lateral or thumb side

Ulna

forearm bone on the medial or little finger side

Wrist and hand

carpals and 5 metacarpals and fingers made of phalanges

Pelvic girdle

two hip bones (coxae) plus the sacrum and coccyx and each coxa is formed by the ilium and ischium and pubis

Pubic symphysis

cartilage that joins the left and right pubic bones and limits movement

Femur

longest and one of the strongest bones in the body and its head fits the acetabulum in a ball-and-socket joint

Lower leg

made of the tibia and fibula

Ankle and foot

foot has tarsals and metatarsals and phalanges and the tibia and fibula meet the talus to form the ankle

Skeletal system functions

gives shape - protects organs - allows movement - stores calcium - helps create blood cells

Musculoskeletal system functions

provides form and upright posture and movement and protection of vital organs

Skeletal muscle

voluntary muscle attached to bones that forms the major muscle mass and often works in antagonistic pairs such as biceps and triceps

Smooth muscle

involuntary muscle found in blood vessels and intestines

Cardiac muscle

involuntary muscle found only in the heart

Heat from muscle movement

muscle contraction produces heat as a by-product which is why you shiver when cold

Upper airway

nose and mouth and tongue and jaw and pharynx and epiglottis and larynx

Larynx

dividing line between the upper and lower airways