Medical Terms and Definitions

Constitutional

• Atraumatic means there is no evidence of trauma to the body
• Diaphoresis means excessive sweating
• Febrile means having a fever
• Malaise means generalized discomfort or weakness
• Normocephalic means having a normal shaped head
• Polydipsia means excessive thirst
• Polyuria means excessive urination

Eyes

• Conjunctiva refers to the membrane lining the eyelids and covering the eyeball, also known as the "white part"
• Conjunctival injection indicates redness of the conjunctiva
• Diplopia means double vision
• Nystagmus refers to involuntary rapid movements of the eyes

Ears, Nose, Throat

• Cerumen is ear wax
• Dentalgia is dental pain
• Dentition indicates the condition of teeth, whether they are intact or not
• Dysphagia is painful or difficult swallowing
• Epistaxis is bleeding from the nose
• Hemotympanum is blood presents in the middle ear
• Rhinorrhea is a runny nose
• Septal Deviation is the displacement of the nasal septum
• Tinnitus refers to ringing in the ears
• Trismus is the inability to open jaw

Respiratory

• Respiratory relates to the lungs and respiratory system
• Accessory muscle use is the visible usage of muscles not normally for breathing
• Bradypnea is unusually slow breathing
• Cyanosis happens when the skin turns purple or dark blue, typically due to hypoxia
• Dyspnea is shortness of breath
• Expiration describes breathing out
• Hemoptysis is coughing up blood
• Inspiration describes breathing in
• Intubated means the introduction of a tube into a hollow organ, such as the trachea
• Orthopnea is difficulty breathing when laying down
• Rale is an abnormal sound heard in lungs
• Respiratory Distress is difficulty breathing
• Retraction is the visible pulling inward of the muscles between the ribs when inhaling
• Rhonchi is a whistling sound when there is a partial obstruction of the lungs
• Speech dyspnea means shortness of breath when speaking
• Stridor is a sound heard when there is an obstruction of the airways
• Tachypnea is unusually fast breathing
• Wheeze is difficulty breathing makes a whistling sound that is a result from the narrowing of the lumen in respiratory passages

Cardiovascular

• Cardiovascular means relating to the heart and circulatory system
• Aneurysm is the widening of a blood vessel that results in a blood sac
• Angina is severe, constricting chest pain due to heart tissues not receiving enough blood
• Arrhythmia is an abnormal, irregular heartbeat
• Bradycardia is usually slow heart rate
• Bruit is a murmur or sound heard when listening indicating narrowing of a vessel
• Capillary Refill is the return of color after pressing down on the skin
• Costochondritis is inflammation of the costal cartilage
• Embolism is the obstruction of blood vessels by a clot of blood or foreign substance
• Hemorrhage is the loss of blood from the body, internally or externally
• Hypertension means elevated blood pressure
• Hypotension means low blood pressure
• Infarct is the death of a tissue caused by loss of blood supply
• Ischemia is a temporary, localized area of blood restriction
• Murmur is extra heart sounds
• Palpitations mean awareness of one's own heartbeat
• Pitting Edema means fluid buildup, typically in the legs, that leaves a “pit” or indention when pressed
• Stenosis is the narrowing of an opening
• Tachycardia is an unusually fast heart rate

Gastrointestinal

• Gastrointestinal relates to the digestive system
• Emesis means vomit
• Hematemesis is vomit with blood in it
• Hematochezia is blood in stool
• Hemorrhoid is swollen, inflamed veins on the rectum or anus
• Melena is black, tarry stool
• Hepatosplenomegaly is the enlargement of the spleen and liver
• Urolithiasis is a kidney stone

Genitourinary

• Genitourinary relates to the urinary and genitalia
• Cervical pertains to the neck or cervix of the uterus
• Dysmenorrhea is painful menstruation
• Dysuria is painful urination
• Hematuria is blood in the urine
• Incontinence is a sudden, involuntary urge to pass urine
• Inguinal refers to the Groin Region
• Priapism is a persistent and painful erection, often due to trauma
• Torsion means twisting of an organ around its own axis
• Nephrolithiasis is kidney stones

Musculoskeletal

• Musculoskeletal relates to the bones and muscles
• Arthralgia is joint pain
• Crepitus is a crackling or grating sound that is usually heard in the bones
• Edema is the accumulation of fluid in the interstitial spaces, swelling
• Myalgia is defined as muscle pain, body aches
• Sacroiliac Joint (SI) Joint is where the spine meets the pelvis
• Spasm is a sudden, involuntary muscle contraction
• Supple means flexible neck that can easily move during the exam

Integumentary

• Integumentary relates to the skin
• Avulsion is a forcible tearing away of a part or structure
• Contusion is trauma that results in broken blood vessels beneath the skin
• Ecchymosis is a bruise that is not elevated
• Erythema is redness of the skin
• Fluctuance is the ability to be moved or compressed and indicates the prescence of pus
• Induration a localized hardening of soft tissue
• Laceration is a cut in the skin
• Macular refers to a flat rash
• Maculopapular Rash is a rash characterized by flat red rashes that are covered in small bumps
• Melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer
• Nuchal rigidity is neck stiffness
• Pallor is paleness of the skin
• Papular refers to a solid, raised lesion with distinct borders
• Pruritic means itchy
• Purulent means consisting, containing, or discharging pus
• Sanguineous drainage is a mixture of pus and blood

Neurological

• Neurological relates to the brain and nervous system
• Alert and oriented measures mental function, measured in orientation to person, place, time, and situation which is recorded as A&Ox4 when oriented to all 4
• Ambulatory means able to walk
• Concussion is the loss of consciousness due to severe head injury
• Dysphasia is the inability to understand verbal commands as a result of brain injury/illness
• Gait is a manner of walking
• Neuralgia is nerve pain
• Neurovascularly intact means circulation and sensation are normal
• Paresthesia is an abnormal tactile sensation such as numbness, tingling or burning
• Photophobia is sensitivity to light
• Post-ictal refers to symptoms that occur after a seizure
• Romberg sign is swaying of the body or falling when eyes are closed
• Saddle anesthesia is the loss of sensation restricted to the buttocks, perineum, and inner thighs
• Seizure is convulsions due to abnormal electrical impulses in the brain
• Syncope is temporary loss of consciousness, fainting

Psychological

• Delusional means having an irrational belief often found in schizophrenia and manic-depressive psychosis
• Dementia is a partial or total loss of personality or mental function, due to mental deterioration, but without psychosis
• Homicidal Ideation is confirmed thoughts of hurting others
• Suicidal Ideation is confirmed thoughts of self-harm

Miscellaneous Terms

• Acute is a sudden flare up of a condition
• Chronic is a condition that has been present for a long time
• Effusion refers to the escape of fluid into a cavity
• Etiology is the cause of a disease and mode of operation
• Exacerbation means to aggravate a condition
• Exudate is substance that is seen on surface tissues usually as a result of inflammation or disease condition
• Guarding is movement of extremities to protect the body when pressure is applied, may be voluntary or involuntary
• Metastasis is the spread of cancer
• Necrotic means dead
• Rebound is a sensation of pain felt when pressure is suddenly removed
• Sublingual means under the tongue
• Turgor refers to the condition of being swollen or distended