medical terminology

Atraumatic: No evidence of trauma to the body

Diaphoresis: excessive sweating

Febrile: having a fever

Malaise: Generalized discomfort or weakness

Normocephalic: Normal shaped head

Polydipsia: excessive thirst

Polyuria: excessive urination

Atraumatic: No evidence of trauma to the body

Diaphoresis: excessive sweating

Febrile: having a fever

Malaise: Generalized discomfort or weakness

Normocephalic: Normal shaped head

Polydipsia: excessive thirst

Polyuria: excessive urination

Conjunctiva: Membrane lining of the eyelids and covering of the eyeball; “white part”

Conjunctival injection: Redness of the conjunctiva

Diplopia: double vision

Nystagmus: Involuntary rapid movements of the eyes

Cerumen: Ear Wax

Dentalgia: Dental Pain

Dentition: indicating the condition of teeth (i.e. intact)

Dysphagia: Painful/difficulty swallowing

Epistaxis: bleeding of the nose

Hemotympanum: blood in the middle ear

Rhinorrhea: Runny nose

Septal Deviation: displacement of the nasal septum

Tinnitus: ringing of the ears

Trismus: Inability to open jaw

Accessory muscle use: Visible usage of muscles not normally used to breathe

Bradypnea: unusually slow breathing

Cyanosis: When the skin turns purple or dark blue (typically due to hypoxia)

Dyspnea: shortness of breath

Expiration: Breathing out

Hemoptysis: coughing up blood

Inspiration: Breathing in

Intubated: introduction of a tube into a hallow organ, such as the trachea

Orthopnea: difficulty breathing when laying down

Rale: Abnormal sound heard in lungs

Respiratory Distress: Difficulty breathing

Retraction: visible pulling inward of the muscles between the ribs when inhaling

Rhonchi: Whistling sound heard when there is a partial obstruction of the lungs

Speech dyspnea: Shortness of breath when speaking

Stridor: Sound heard when there is an obstruction of the airways

Tachypnea: unusually fast breathing

Wheeze: Difficulty breathing makes a whistling sound that is a result from the narrowing of the

lumen in respiratory passages

Aneurysm: Widening of a blood vessel that results in a blood sac

Angina: Severe, constricting chest pain due to heart tissues not receiving enough blood

Arrhythmia: Abnormal, irregular heartbeat

Bradycardia: usually slow heart rate

Bruit: A murmur or sound heard in auscultation indicating narrowing of a vessel

Capillary Refill: the return of color after pressing down on the skin

Costochondritis: Inflammation of the costal cartilage

Embolism: Obstruction of blood vessels by a clot of blood or foreign substance

Hemorrhage: loss of blood from the body, internally or externally

Hypertension: elevated blood pressure

Hypotension: low blood pressure

Infarct: Death of a tissue caused by loss of blood supply

Ischemia: Temporary, localized area of blood restriction

Murmur: extra heart sounds

Palpitations: awareness of one’s own heartbeat

Pitting Edema: Fluid buildup, typically in the legs, that leaves a “pit” or indention when pressed

Stenosis: narrowing of an opening

Tachycardia: unusually fast heart rate

Emesis: vomit

Hematemesis: vomit with blood in it

Hematochezia: Blood in stool

Hemorrhoid: swollen and inflamed veins on the rectum or anus

Melena: Black, tarry stool

Hepatosplenomegaly: Enlargement of the spleen and liver

Urolithiasis- Kidney stone

Cervical: Pertaining to the neck or cervix of the uterus

Dysmenorrhea: Painful menstruation

Dysuria: painful urination

Hematuria: blood in the urine

Incontinence: sudden, involuntary urge to pass urine

Inguinal: Groin Region

Priapism: persistent and painful erection, often due to trauma

Torsion: twisting of an organ around its own axis

Nephrolithiasis: kidney stones

Arthralgia: joint pain

Crepitus: Crackling or grating sound that is usually heard in the bones

Edema: Accumulation of fluid in the interstitial spaces, swelling

Myalgia: muscle pain, body aches

Sacroiliac Joint (SI) Joint: where the spine meets the pelvis

Spasm: sudden, involuntary muscle contraction

Supple: flexible neck that can easily move during the exam

Avulsion: a forcible tearing away of a part or structure

Contusion: Trauma that results in broken blood vessels beneath the skin

Ecchymosis: Bruise that is not elevated

Erythema: redness of the skin

Fluctuance: capable of being moved or compressed, indicated presence of pus

Induration: Localized hardening of soft tissue

Laceration: cut in the skin

Macular: Flat rash

Maculopapular Rash: rash characterized by flat red rashes that are covered in small bumps

Melanoma: most deadly type of skin cancer

Nuchal rigidity: neck stiffness

Pallor: paleness of the skin

Papular: Solid, raised lesion with distinct borders

Pruritic: itchy

Purulent- consisting, containing, or discharging pus

Sanguineous: drainage that is a mixture of pus and blood

Alert and oriented: measuring of mental function, measured in orientation to person, place,

time, and situation. If a person is oriented to all 4, it is recorded as A&Ox4

Ambulatory: able to walk

Concussion: loss of consciousness due to severe head injury

Dysphasia: Inability to understand verbal commands as a result of brain injury/illness

Gait: a manner of walking

Neuralgia: Nerve pain

Neurovascularly intact: Circulation and sensation are normal

Paresthesia: Abnormal tactile sensation such as numbness, tingling or burning

Photophobia: sensitivity to light

Post-ictal: Symptoms that occur after a seizure

Romberg sign: swaying of the body or falling when eyes are closed

Saddle anesthesia: loss of sensation restricted to the buttocks, perineum, and inner thighs

Seizure: convulsions due to abnormal electrical impulses in the brain

Syncope: temporary loss of consciousness (fainting)

Delusional: Having an irrational belief that cannot be changed by a rational argument, often

found in schizophrenia and manic-depressive psychosis.

Dementia: partial or total loss of personality or mental function, due to mental deterioration, but

without psychosis

Homicidal Ideation: Confirmed thoughts of hurting others

Suicidal Ideation: Confirmed thoughts of self-harm

Acute: Sudden flare up of a condition

Chronic: Condition that has been presents for a long time

Effusion: Escape of fluid into a cavity

Etiology: Cause of a disease and mode of operation

Exacerbation: To aggravate a condition

Exudate: Substance that is seen on surface tissues usually as a result of inflammation or disease

condition

Guarding: movement of extremities to protect the body when pressure is applied, may be

voluntary or involuntary

Metastasis: the spread of cancer

Necrotic: Dead, as in "necrotic tissue"

Rebound: a sensation of pain felt when pressure (as to the abdomen) is suddenly removed

Sublingual: Under the tongue

Turgor: Condition of being swollen or distended