Terms I Need to Know

Syncope

Dizziness, passing out

Palpitations

Heart racing or fluttering

Edema

Swelling of extremities

Dyspnea

Shortness of breath

Claudication

Lower extremity pain w/ activity

Hypertension

High blood pressure

Myocardial Infarction

Heart disease/heart attack

Hemoptysis

Coughing up blood

Aphasia

Loss of ability to understand or express speech

Dyspepsia

Upper abdominal discomfort associated with eating

Most common symptom of GI dysfunction

Many causes:

Emesis

Nausea/vomiting

Jaundice

Yellowing of the skin and sclerae (Icterus)

• Due to elevated bilirubin

Associated with liver disease & hemolytic disorders

Ascites

Accumulation of peritoneal fluid in abdomen

Associated with liver disorders

• Portal hypertension

• Cirrhosis

• Decreased albumin synthesis

Dysuria

Painful urination

Anuria

Absence of urine production

Nocturia

Frequent night urination

Enuresis

Frequent voiding during sleep

Hematuria

Blood in urine

Diaphoretic

Sweating profusely

Kyphosis

Excessive forward curvature of the upper spine, resulting in abnormally rounded or “humpback” appearance.

Lordosis

Spine curves too much and pushes your posture out of its usual alignment, causing buttocks and abdomen to stick out.

Pruritis

Itching

Vitiligo

A chronic autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or color (Hypopigmentation)

Addison’s Disease

A rare disease where the adrenal glands don’t produce enough hormones like cortisol and aldosterone. Associated with hyperpigmentation.

Pallor

Paleness

Erythema

Redness of the skin

Cyanosis

Bluish discoloration - Often due to the lack of oxygen in the blood

Striae

Stretch Marks

Mastalgia

Breast Pain

Menorrhagia

Heavy menstrual bleeding

Dyspareunia

Painful intercourse

Amenorrhea

Absence of menstrual flow

Dysmenorrhea

Painful menstrual flow

Menorrhagia (or Hypermenorrhea)

Prolonged or excessive bleeding at the time of regular menstrual flow

Metrorrhagia

Vaginal bleeding between regular menstrual periods

Pallor

Loss of color or paleness

Paresthesia

Numbing

Poikilothermia

Coldness

Ulcerations

Open wounds

Paralysis

Cannot move

Rigidity

Resistance to passive stretch

Cannot passively move their arm for the patient

Flaccidity

Loose, soft muscle, yields to passive stretching

Can passively move their arm, no resistance

Clonus

A series of involuntary, rhythmic muscle contractions and relaxations triggered by a sudden stretch.

(Their food would rock back and forth uncontrollably)

Lymphoma

Lymph node swelling

Myopia

Nearsighted

Hyperopia

Farsighted

Presbyopia

Age related farsighted

Strabismus

Cross eyed

Amblyopia

Lazy eye

Tinnitus

Ringing in the ear

Vertigo

Motion/spinning

Sensation with the inner motion

Rhinitis

Nasal congestion

Runny nose

Dysphagia

Difficulty swallowing

Nystagmus

Osolating movement of eyeHy

Hydrocephalus

Abdormal build in fluid in ventricles deep in the brainT

Mucositis

Dry mouth, painful inflammation, etc

Thrush

Yellowish white coating from yeast on tongue

Hyperlipemia

High cholesterol