Med Term - General Medical Terms / Signs and Symptoms (Terms)

acute

sudden onset of symptoms, short duration of illness, (opposite of chronic)

adhesions

abnormal growth in which body tissues that are usually separate grow together often by way of new fibrous scar tissue

afebrile

no fever

amenorrhea

abnormal absence of menstruation; break it down: a = without; men/o = month, menstruation; rrhea = discharge (of fluid)

angina

sudden, intense pain in the chest due to reduced blood supply to the heart (also known as: angina pectoris); break it down: angin = blood vessel; pector = chest; is = pertaining to

antepartum

before childbirth; break it down: ante = before; part = parturition or labor; um = pertaining to

aphagia

inability to swallow; break it down: a = without; phagia = swallowing

aphasia

loss of previously held ability to speak; break it down: a = without; phasia = speaking

apnea

temporary absence of breathing; break it down: a = without; pnea = breathing

arrhythmia

variation from the heart's normal rhythm; break it down: a = without; rrythm = rhythm; ia =condition of

ascites

accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity commonly caused by cirrhosis of the liver

aspiration

removal of fluid from the body using suction

atrophy

wasting away of body tissue; break it down: a = without; trophy = nourishment, development

auscultation

using a stethoscope to listen to body sounds

balanorrhea

excessive discharge of fluid from the glans penis; break it down: balan/o = glans penis; rrhea = discharge of fluid

blood pressure

BP, pressure exerted against the walls of blood vessels, especially arteries, recorded as systolic (heart contraction)/diastolic (heart relaxation)

bradycardia

abnormally slow heart rate; break it down: brady = slow; card = heart; ia = condition of

bruit

sound caused by turbulent flow of blood rushing past an obstruction in an artery

Cheyne-Stokes respiration

cycle of breathing characterized by alternating periods of shallow and deep breathing that usually leads to a period of apnea

chronic

an illness of long duration, an illness that progresses slowly (opposite of acute); break it down: chron = time; ic = pertaining to

clubbing of fingers

rounded fingertips due to the chronic inadequate oxygen to tissues

crackles

breath sounds, rattling or bubbling of the lungs

CVA tenderness

Costovertebral Angle Tenderness, pain and tenderness in area of lower back next to the spine, two angles outline there lower ribs and vertebral column intersect in the space over the kidneys, common symptom of kidney conditions, (not to be confused with CVA - cerebrovascular accident); break it down: cost/o = rib; vertebr = vertebra; al = pertaining to

cyanosis

bluish discoloration of skin and mucous membranes, due to insufficient oxygen in the blood; break it down: cyan = blue; card = heart; ia = condition of

deep tendon reflexes

involuntary muscle contractions brought on by stretching the muscle with a tap on a tendon that connects muscle to bone

diarrhea

frequent elimination of watery feces; break it down: dia = through; rrhea = discharge (of fluid)

dysmenorrhea

painful menstruation; break it down: dys = bad, abnormal, painful, difficult; men/o = month, menstruation; rrhea = discharge (of fluid)

dyspepsia

difficult digestion, indigestion; break it down: dys = bad, abnormal, painful, difficult; peps = digestion; ia = condition of

dysphagia

difficulty in swallowing; break it down: dys = bad, abnormal, painful, difficult; phagia =swallowing

dysphasia

difficulty speaking due to brain impairment; break it down: dys = bad, abnormal, painful, difficult; phasia =speaking

dyspnea

painful or difficult breathing; break it down: dys = bad, abnormal, painful, difficult; pnea = breathing

dysuria

difficult or painful urination; break it down: dys = bad, abnormal, painful, difficult; uria = condition of urine, urination

edema

swelling due to excess accumulation of fluid

epistaxis

nosebleed; break it down: epi = upon; staxis = dripping

erythema

abnormal redness of the skin; break it down: eryth = red; ema = (from emia) condition of blood

exophthalmos

abnormal protrusion or bulging of the eyeballs, caused by hyperthyroidism; break it down: ex = outside, away from; ophthalm/o = eye

febrile

fever

fibrillation

rapid, irregular, and uncontrolled twitching of muscle fibers of the heart

flatulence

presence of excessive gas in the gastrointestinal tract

fremitus

palpable vibration in the chest

gangrene

body tissue death due to reduced blood supply

goiter

abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland at the front and sides of neck often due to infection or lack of iodine

gravida

pregnant, pregnancy; break it down: gravid = pregnancy

guarding

spasm of muscle in order to minimize motion and protect a site affected by injury or disease

H&P

history and physical

halitosis

bad breath; break it down: halit = breath; osis = condition of

HEENT

head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat (portion of exam)

hematemesis

vomiting of blood; break it down: hemat = blood; emesis = vomiting

hematuria

presence of blood in the urine; break it down: hemat = blood; uria = condition of urine, urination

hemoptysis

coughing up blood from the lungs; break it down: hem/o = blood; ptysis = to cough up

hemorrhage

excessive bleeding; break it down: hem/o = blood; rrhage = excessive discharge

HPI

history of present illness

Hx

history

hyperemesis gravidarum

excessive vomiting during pregnancy; break it down: hyper = excessive; emesis = vomting; gravidar = pregnancy; um = pertaining to

hyperplasia

excessive development of number of cells other than tumor development, may be a sign of precancerous cell development; break it down: hyper = excessive; plasia = shape, formation

hypertrophy

enlargement of an organ or part due to increase in size of cells; break it down: hyper = excessive or above; trophy = nourishment, development

iatrogenic

pertaining to being produced by treatment, condition that results from treatment such as, an adverse affect from incorrect medication provided by a physician or other health care professional.; break it down: iatr/o = to heal; gen = formation, cause, produce, ic = pertaining to

idiopathic

pertaining to a disease that has an unknown cause; break it down: idi/o = person, self; path = disease; ic = pertaining to

impression

physician's assessment or diagnosis of a condition or disease

incontinence (fecal)

inability to control bowel movements

incontinence (urinary)

involuntary leakage of urine

inflammation

redness, swelling, pain, etc. that results from the body's reaction to injury or illness

ischemia

insufficient blood flow to body tissues or organs usually caused by blockage of an artery; break it down: isch = to hold back, deficiency, blockage; emia = condition of blood

jaundice

abnormal yellowish coloring of the skin and mucous membranes, often a symptom of liver disease

laceration

torn, jagged wound or cut

lactorrhea

abnormal discharge of milk not associated with childbirth or nursing; break it down: lact/o = milk; rrhea = discharge (of fluid)

lesion

abnormal change in tissue resulting from injury or disease

lethargic

lacking energy, sluggish

leukorrhea

white or yellow vaginal discharge; break it down: leuk/o = white; rrhea = discharge (of fluid)

malaise

feeling of lack of health or discomfort of the body

mastalgia

pain of the breast; break it down: mast = breast; algia = pain

menometrorrhagia

irregular or excessive bleeding during menstruation and between menstrual periods; break it down: men/o = month, menstruation; metr/o = uterus; rrhagia = bleeding, hemorrhage

menorrhagia

abnormally heavy and regular menstrual period; break it down: men/o =month, menstruation; rrhagia = bleeding, hemorrhage

metrorrhea

discharge of mucu of pus from the uterus; break it down: metr/o = uterus; rrhea = discharge (of fluid)

multigravida

woman who has been pregnant more than once; break it down: multi = many; gravid = pregnancy

multipara

woman who has given birth two or more times; break it down: multi = many; par = parturition or labor

murmur

heart sound: soft blowing or fluttering when valves or opening and closing

nausea

stomach condition marked by an urge to vomit

NKDA

no known drug allergies

nocturia

excessive urination at night; break it down: noct = night; uria = condition of urine, urination

normocephalic

head of normal shape and size for corresponding age; break it down: norm/o = normal; cephal = head; ic = pertaining to

nosocomial

acquired in a hospital, usually describes bacterial infections that are contracted during a hospital stay

nulligravida

woman who has never been pregnant; break it down: nulli = none; gravid = pregnancy

nullipara

woman who has not given birth; break it down: nulli = none; par = parturition or labor

oligomenorrhea

infrequent or very light menstruation; break it down: olig/o = few in number; men/o = month, menstruation; rrhea = discharge (of fluid)

oliguria

reduced discharge of urine; break it down: olig = few in number; uria = condition of urine, urination

orthopnea

breathing comfortably is restricted to only when standing upright; break it down: orth/o = straight; pnea = breathing

palliative

pertaining to treatment that reduces pain and suffering without producing a cure

palpitation

abnormally rapid and irregular beating of the heart

paresthesia

abnormal sensation (such as burning or tingling) without physical cause; break it down: par = alongside, abnormal; esthesia = sensation, perception

PE

physical examination

percussion

tapping on the chest or back while using a stethoscope while listening to lung sounds

PERRLA

pupils equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation

polyuria

excessive urination; break it down: poly = many; uria = condition of urine, urination

postpartum

after childbirth; break it down: post = after; part = parturition or labor; um = pertaining to

primigravida

woman in first pregnancy; break it down: primi = first; gravid = pregnancy

primipara

woman who has given birth once; break it down: primi = first; par = parturition or labor

prognosis

prediction regarding the duration and possible outcome of an illness

pulse

palpable beat of the throbbing of arteries as blood is pushed through them, caused by contractions of the heart

rales

breath sounds, rattling or bubbling of the lungs