Glossary of Medical Terms PDF

# Glossary of Medical Terms ## Introduction - Building: A structure that has a root and walls. - Classroom: A room in a university or school where you have lessons. - Cafeteria: A restaurant, often in a business, university, etc. where you pick from foods that have already been prepared and take th...

# Glossary of Medical Terms ## Introduction - Building: A structure that has a root and walls. - Classroom: A room in a university or school where you have lessons. - Cafeteria: A restaurant, often in a business, university, etc. where you pick from foods that have already been prepared and take them to your table. - Department: One of the groups of people who work together in a large organization like a university. - Library: A room or building containing books you can look at or borrow. - Office: A room where someone has a desk and does their work. ## Unit 1 ### 1.1 - Laboratory (lab): A place where scientists or researchers do experiments. - Lecture Hall: A large room where educational talks or lessons take place. - Practical lectures: Lessons involving the practical application of theories. - Professor: A university lecturer, in some countries, an academic of the highest rank. - Student housing: Accommodation for students, usually on or near the university campus. - Student services building: The building where students can find information regarding, services offered by the university - University campus: The area that contains the buildings of a university. ### 1.2 - Anatomy: The study of the structure of the human body. - Cardiology: The study of the human heart. - Emergency medicine: The medical specialty devoted to treating urgent illness or injuries. - Neurology: The study of the nervous system, including the brain. - Pathology: The study of the causes and effects of disease. - Surgery: The treatment of medical conditions through operations. ### 1.3 - Course materials: The texts and equipment used in a specific course, as well as information about a course. - Dissection: The act of cutting up parts of a body in order to study its internal parts. - Examination: A formal test of specific knowledge or ability. - Lab coat: A coat worn in a laboratory, to protect the clothes and body from dangerous chemicals and spills. - Microscope: An instrument that allows you to view very small objects through magnification. - Schedule: A plan or list of when specific events will take place. - Textbook: A book containing the information or knowledge for a subject. ## Unit 2 ### 2.1 - Dentist: A person qualified to treat conditions of the teeth and gums. - Doctor: A person qualified to practice medicine (diagnose and treat sick people). - Neurologist: A medical professional who specializes in conditions of the nervous system. - Nurse: A person qualified to care for sick people. - Ophthalmologist: A medical professional who specializes in conditions of the eye. - Pharmacist: A person qualified to prepare and dispense medicine. - Radiologist: A medical professional qualified to use and analyze x-rays and other high-energy radiation in medicine. - Surgeon: A medical professional who specializes in surgery. ### 2.2 - Emergency room: The part of the hospital that helps people immediately; the casualty department. - Hospital: A large building where sick or injured people are treated. - Nurses' station: The area where nurses meet and do administrative tasks. - On-call room: A room for hospital staff to rest while they are on call. - Operating room: The part of the hospital where surgery is done. - Waiting room: The room where people wait to see a doctor or other medical practitioners. - Ward: A room in a hospital where people who need treatment stay, often overnight. ### 2.3 - Book an appointment: Set a time to meet someone, for example a doctor or other medical practitioner. - Clinic: A place where patients can receive medical treatment at a lower cost - Dentist's office: The place where a dentist meets and treats patients. - Get a prescription filled: Go to a pharmacy to get the medicine prescribed by a doctor. - Get a vaccination: Have a vaccine administered or injected; get inoculated. - Have a checkup: Get a general medical examination by a doctor, to check general health. - Have a physical: Get a thorough (in-depth) examination by a doctor, to check health. - Pharmacy: A shop where medicinal drugs are prepared and sold. ## Unit 3 ### 3.1 - Contract: A written or spoken agreement that is legally binding. - Interview: A formal conversation to test if an applicant is suitable for a job. - Job description: An official list of responsibilities related to a specific job. - Office: A room or building used for work. - Pay slip: A piece of paper that employees get every time they are paid, showing their salary payment and deductions. - Vacancy: A job that in unfilled and available - Working hours: The time that somebody spends working each day. - Workplace: The place where work is carried out. ### 3.2 - Benefits: Extra advantages you get from work, e.g. health insurance. - Opening hours: The hours when a business is open to the public - Personnel officer: The person whose job it is to take care of other employees and hiring. - Premises: The building and land used by a hospital, business, etc. - Salary: The money you get for working. - Uniform: The set of clothes you need to wear for work. ### 3.3 - Experience: The knowledge or skills that you learn over time. - Promotion: The act of giving somebody a higher rank in the workplace. - Resignation: The act of quitting your job voluntarily. - Resume: A summary of previous work experience and education, used when applying for a job. - Shift work: A system of work where different teams of workers are on duty at different times of the day or night, often in workplaces that are open 24 hours a day. ## Unit 4 ### 4.1 - Ankle: The joint that connects the foot and the leg. - Dislocate: When a bone moves from its normal position in a joint. - Elbow: The joint that connects the upper arm and the forearm. - Hematoma: A solid swelling because of blood clotting in the tissues. - Hip: The joint that connects the upper thigh bone and the pelvis. - Knee: The joint that connects the lower leg to the thigh. - Lower extremity: The bottom part of the body, from the hips to the toes. - Pelvis: The large bones at the bottom of the spine, where the lower limbs (legs) are attached. - Rib cage: The structure formed by the ribs that surrounds and protects the heart and lungs. - Shoulder: One of the joints that connect the upper arms to the rest of the body. - Upper torso: The part of the body, front and back, between the neck and the stomach. - Wrist: The joint that connects the hand and the arm. ### 4.2 - Brain: The organ that controls how we think, feel, and we move. - Heart: The organ that pumps blood through the body. - Intestine: The tube that carries food after it goes through the stomach. - Lungs: The organs that allow us to breathe. - Resuscitate: Reviving someone who is unconscious. - Spinal cord: The string of nerves found inside the spine that sends messages to and from the brain. - Unresponsive: Not reacting to something or not affected by it. - Stomach: The organ that begins digestion. ### 4.3 - Cartilage: The small bones inside the wrists. - Clavicle: The bone that joins the shoulder blades to the breastbone, also known as a collarbone. - Femur: The large bone in the upper thigh. - Humerous: The bone in the upper arm. - Patella: The bone in front of the knee joint, also known as a kneecap. - Skull: The group of bones in the head that surrounds the brain. - Tarsals: The small bones in the ankles. - Vertebrae: One of the bones that make up the spine, which encloses the spinal cord. ## Unit 5 ### 5.1 - Abdomen: The part of the body between the chest and the hips. - Arteries: Major blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart, to the rest of the body. - Blood vessels: Tubes that carry blood through the body. - Chest: The part of the front of the body, between the neck and the stomach. - Diaphragm: The muscle between the lungs and the stomach. - White blood cells: Blood cells that fight infection. ### 5.2 - Cells: The smallest parts of a living thing that can exist independently. - Glands: Organs that produce a substance the body needs, such as hormones or sweat. - Joints: Parts of your body that can bend (if they have a range of movement) - Ligaments: Strong, fibrous cords that connect bones in your body, helping them to hold together. - Muscles: Tissues in your body that can contract to help make your body move. - Nerves: Fibers that carry messages to and from the brain and other body parts. - Organs: The parts of the body such as the heart or eyes that work together to operate a particular function, or perform a particular purpose ### 5.3 - Cardiovascular system: The system that carries blood around the body. - Colon: The lower part of the large intestine where waste products are stored. - Digestive system: The parts of the body relating to eating and breaking down food. - Endocrine system: The parts of the body relating to the production of hormones. - Excretory system: The parts of the body relating to the passing of waste products out of the body. - Immune system: The parts of the body that fight and protect cells against disease. - Muscular system: The parts of the body that help it move. - Nervous system: The parts of the body that send signals to and from the brain to control movement, the senses, and other basic body functions. - Rectum: The lowest part of your bowels. - Reproductive system: The parts of the body relating to producing offspring (children). - Respiratory system: The parts of the body relating to breathing. - Skeletal system: The bones in a body which give structure and support to the different body parts. - Urine: The yellow waste that comes out of the body. ## Unit 6 - Aching back: Back with constant dull pain. - Bleeding cut: A cut deep enough to release blood. - Broken arm: An arm broken or fractured. - Burning ear: An ear with burning sensation. - Dull headache: A headache that is not severe but is constant. - Burning ear: Inflammation/infection in the ear. - Achy head: A headache that is an unpleasant throbbing feeling in the head. - Sharp stomach pain: A sharp strong pain in the stomach, usually because of food or a stomach bug. - Swollen knee: A knee that is bigger than normal, usually because of an injury. ### 6.2 - Blunted vision: When somebody can see clearly and objects look blurry or faint. - Burned skin: Skin has turned red and hot, and sometimes has blisters, because it was burned by something hot. - Excessive sweating: When someone sweats a lot. - Fractured: A broken or cracked bone. - Infected cut: A wound caused by a sharp object, that contains harmful bacteria. - Nausea: The feeling you have when you want to vomit. - Radiate: To spread out in different directions from a central point. ### 6.3 - Choke: Not being able to breathe because there is something in the throat. - Dizzy: Feeling like the world is spinning. - Exhausted: Very tired. - Fever: A body temperature that is very high, usually from infection. ## Unit 7 ### 7.1 - Behavior: The way that someone or something acts in different situations. - Blood pressure: The pressure (force) of blood in the circulatory system. - Gait: The way someone walks. - Posture: The way the body is positioned when someone is sitting or standing. - Pulse: The beat that can be felt, for example at your wrist, as your heart pumps blood around your body. - Redness: A red color due to irritation or injury - Swelling: An increase in the size of an area of the body. - Temperature: How hot or cold someone's body is. - Tenderness: Discomfort or pain when an area of the body is touched ### 7.2 - Goniometer: A medical instrument used to measure angles, especially of joints. - Otoscope: A medical instrument used to examine the eardrum and outer ear. - Plinth: A padded table for a patient to sit or lie on during an examination. - Pulse oximeter: A medical instrument used to measure oxygenated haemoglobin, or oxygen saturation, in the blood. - Sphygmomanometer: A medical instrument used to measure blood pressure, usually an inflatable rubber band placed on the arm. - Stadiometer: A device used for measuring height. - Stethoscope: A medical instrument used to listen to the heart and lungs. - Thermometer: An instrument used to take someone's temperature. ### 7.3 - Computerized tomography (CT) scan: A series of x-rays taken from different angles, to produce detailed images of organs. - Doppler test: A test used to estimate blood flow. - Electrocardiogram (ECG): The drawing produced by an electrocardiograph, which shows the electrical activity in the heart. - Lung function test: A test that measures how well your lungs work. - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan: A test that uses strong magnetic fields to produce images of the inside of a body. - Myocardial infarction: A heart attack, when the heart stops working normally and causes pain. - Peripheral neuropathy: Damage or disease affecting nerves in your arms and legs, which may cause numbness or a loss of balance. - X-ray: A beam of radiation that can go thorough solid objects, used to photograph the inside of the body. ## Unit 8 ### 8.1 - Asthma: A medical condition that makes it difficult to breathe and is treated with an inhaler. - Bronchitis: An illness that affects the tubes that bring air to your lungs and makes you cough. - Chicken pox: A disease that causes a fever and red, itchy blisters on your skin. - Diabetes: A serious disease in which there is too much sugar in your blood. - Measles: A disease that causes a fever and small red spots on your body. - Mumps: A disease that makes your neck swell and become painful. - Pneumonia: A disease caused by the swelling of the tissues in your lungs. - Rubella (German measles): A disease that causes small pink spots on your body and can hurt an unborn baby. - Tonsillitis: An infection of your tonsils. ### 8.2 - Allergies: A reaction to something that your immune system has become too sensitive to, and that can cause sneezing, coughing, itching, a rash, breathing difficulty, etc. - Cough: An expulsion of air from the chest, usually caused by an illness or irritation. - Dehydration: The loss of water in the body. - Diarrhea: A condition where waste from the bowels is excreted often and in watery form. - Flu: A common illness that may cause a fever, weakness, coughing, runny nose, and sore throat, also known as influenza. - Heartburn: An uncomfortable feeling in the stomach or chest caused by acid from the stomach. - Infection: A disease caused by a virus or bacteria attacking a specific part of the body. - Rash: Red spots on the skin, caused by an allergy or illness. ### 8.3 - Abdominal pain: Discomfort or soreness in the stomach area (abdomen). - Migraine: An intense, throbbing headache, often accompanied by nausea and blurry vision. - Sinus pressure: Discomfort and pain in the spaces behind the nose, cheeks, and eyes. - Sneezing: A sudden expulsion of air from the nose and mouth, usually caused by an irritation. - Sore throat: Pain in the space at the back of the mouth (the throat), usually caused by inflammation. - Thirst: The feeling of needing to drink something, especially water. - Toothache: Pain in a tooth. ## Unit 9 ### 9.1 - Capsules: Small containers that have medicine inside, usually tube-shaped, and that you swallow whole. - Drops: Liquid medication in small amounts. - Lozenges: Small tablets that you suck and that dissolve in the mouth. - Ointment: A smooth medicinal cream used on the skin. - Sore throat: Pain in the space at the back of the mouth (the throat), usually caused by inflammation. - Pills: Solid pieces of medicine that you swallow whole, such as tablets or capsules. - Syrup: A thick liquid containing medicine. - Tablets: Small, solid discs of medicine. ### 9.2 - Dosage: The amount of medicine you should take at one time. - Inhalation: The delivery of medicine through the respiratory system. - Injection: Medicine put into someone's body with a needle. - IV drip: Both the fluid introduced slowly into a vein of the body and the equipment that does this. - Nasal spray: A medicine you inhale (breathe in) through the nose. - Orally: Taken by the mouth. - Prescription: Medicine ordered by a doctor for a sick person and the piece of paper this is written on. ### 9.3 - Anesthetic: A substance that causes you not to feel pain, usually used during surgery. - Antibiotic: Medicine that stops infection by killing bacteria. - Booster: A dose of a previous vaccine to improve its effect. - Corticosteroid: A group of steroid hormones, usually produced by the body or synthetically, and used for treating inflammation. - Decongestant: Medicine used to relieve nasal congestion (blocked nose). - Inoculation: The act of giving somebody a vaccine; vaccination. - Vaccine: Medicine used to stimulate antibodies and provide immunity against a disease. - Yellow fever: A dangerous disease, which makes your skin turn yellow. ## Unit 10 ### 10.1 - Daily dosage: The amount of medicine you should take in one day. - Infusion: Putting medicine slowly into someone's body or the medicine itself. - Hemoglobin: A substance in the blood that contains iron and carries oxygen. - Quantity: An amount that can be counted or measured. - Regimen: A special health plan of food, exercise, or medical treatment. - Volume: The amount of space that a substance fills. - Weight: How heavy something is. ### 10.2 - ACE inhibitor: A drug used to treat hypertension. - Annually: Happening once every year. - Beta blocker: A drug used to prevent heart attacks. - Daily: Happening once every day. - Diuretic: A substance that increases urine flow. - Hourly: Happening once every hour. - Hypertension: High blood pressure. - Monthly: Happening once every month. - Once: Happening only one time. - Weekly: Happening once every week. ### 10.3 - Concentration: The amount of a substance contained in a liquid. - Drop: A small amount of liquid that falls in a spherical shape. - Drop factor: The number of drops it takes to make 1 ml in a specific IV tubing. - Flow rate: The amount of fluid that flows in a given amount of time. - Parts per million (ppm): The number of units of a substance found in a million units of another substance. - Saline: Containing salt ## Unit 11 ### 11.1 - Defibrillator: A machine that uses electric shock to get a heart working again. - Hospital bed: A bed that patients use in a hospital. - IV pole: The structure that holds the IV drip, usually on wheels so patients can move around. - Monitor: The screen that shows a patient's blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels, etc. - Stretcher: A bed on wheels used to transport patients, for example from an ambulance into a hospital. - Surgical table: The flat surface on which a patient lies in the operating room. - Ultrasound: A machine that uses sound waves to produce images of something inside the body. - X-ray machine: A machine that uses radiation to produce images of something inside the body. ### 11.2 - Gauze: Thin cloth used to cover wounds. - Gloves: Coverings for the hands, to protect them from blood and disease in a hospital. - Hammer: A medical instrument used to test reflexes in patients. - Mask: A covering for the mouth, to prevent the spread of disease or bacteria. - Scalpel: A very sharp knife used in surgery to make sharp incisions in a patient's body. - Syringe: A hollow tube and a needle used for taking blood or injecting a person with a substance. - Thermometer: An instrument used to take someone's temperature. ### 11.3 - Bedpan: A container used as a toilet for people who are too sick to get out of bed. - Brace: Something used to strengthen or support a body part, such as a knee, arm, or neck. - Crutches: A pair of long sticks that helps someone walk after a leg injury. - Sling: A strap or piece of cloth tied around the neck, used to support an injured arm. - Wheelchair: A chair that has wheels, for people who cannot use their legs. ## Unit 12 ### 12.1 - Diagnose: Find out what illness someone has, after doing an assessment and tests. - Discuss: Talk to others, about ideas and decide on something. - Explain: Tell someone something in a clear and understandable way. - Listen: Pay attention to a sound you hear or to what someone is saying. - Question: Ask for information from someone. - Reason: Make a judgement or decision about something after hearing all the facts. - Understand: Realize how someone feels and why they may feel like that, and be sympathetic. ### 12.2 - Clear: Able to express information in a simple way so people can understand it. - Diligent: Hard-working, careful, and thorough. - Honest: Always telling the truth and never lying. - Patient: Able to wait a long period of time, or accept problems, without getting angry. - Professional: Well-trained and good at your work. - Sensitive: Able to understand people's problems or feelings. ### 12.3 - Adherence: When someone behaves according to a rule or belief. - Behavior: The things that a person does, the way they act. - Choice: An act of picking between two or more possibilities. - Engagement: When you become involved with someone or something in order to understand it/them. - Guidelines: Rules or recommendations telling you how to do something or how to behave. - Instructions: Statements telling people what they must do. ## Unit 13 ### 13.1 - Eating well: Making good decisions when deciding what to eat. - Exercising: Doing physical activities to stay healthy and fit. - Jogging: Running slowly as a means of exercise. - Sleeping: A natural state for resting the mind and body. - Stretching: Make something looser, such as a person's muscles, by pulling it. - Walking: Moving at a regular and slow pace, putting one foot in front of the other. ### 13.2 - Ergonomist: Someone who studies how the design of equipment can help people work more safely. - Nutritionist: Someone who gives people advice on their diet and nutrition. - Personal trainer: Someone who helps people decide what type of exercise to do and helps them do it. - Physiotherapist (physio): Someone who treats injuries and diseases using physical methods like heat, massage, and exercise. - Psychologist: Someone who studies the human mind and human behavior. - Public health nurse: Someone who works in the community to improve its health. ### 13.3 - Emotional well-being: The feeling of being healthy and comfortable from an emotional perspective. - Ergonomics: The study of how well people work in their environment. - Hygiene: The practice of keeping things clean in order to prevent the spread of disease. - Mental health: The general condition of your brain and thoughts, and how healthy they are. - Nutrition: The process of getting the right food into the body for health and growth. - Physical activity: An active thing that people do to be fit and healthy, such as walking. ## Unit 14 ### 14.1 - Advanced life support (ALS): A way to keep people alive when they are very ill, usually by a piece of equipment, such as a breathing tube. - Ambulance: A special vehicle used to take people to a hospital when they are sick. - Automated external defibrillator (AED): A machine used to shock a person's heart back into the correct rhythm if they are having a heart attack or their heart stops beating. - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): A way for another person to help someone start breathing again and get their heart to start beating. - Intensive care unit (ICU): A place in a hospital where people who are seriously ill are treated. - Paramedic: Someone who is trained to help injured or sick people, but is not a doctor or nurse. - Triage: A method of deciding who is treated first depending on how seriously they are injured. ### 14.2 - Catheterization: A procedure in which a thin tube is inserted inside your body to examine things such as your heart. - Computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan: A procedure in which x-rays are used to make pictures of someone's body parts. - Intubation: A procedure in which a tube is put into the windpipe via the nose or mouth. - Palpation: The method of feeling a patient with your hands or fingers during an examination. - Reduction: A procedure to restore a dislocated joint or broken bone. - Tracheotomy: An operation to cut a hole in someone's throat, so they can breathe. - Deep vein thrombosis: A blood clot in one of the deep veins in the body, usually the legs, that causes the heart to stop beating. - Dyspena: Difficulty breathing. - Fracture: A break in the bone or cartilage. - First-degree burn: A burn that affects only the outer layer of the skin. - Hypoxia: A condition where your body doesn't get enough oxygen. - Pulmonary embolism: When an artery in your lung becomes blocked, usually by blood. ## Unit 15 ### 15.1 - Asthma: A medical condition that makes it difficult to breathe. - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A group of diseases that block the airways and make it hard for a person to breathe. - Diabetes mellitus: A disease that causes a person's blood sugar levels to be abnormal and out of control. - Hepatitis B: A disease in the liver that makes a person turn yellow and causes a fever. - Hypercholesterolemia: Having very high amounts of cholesterol in the body. - Malaria: A disease caused by a mosquito bite, leading to a life-threatening blood disease. - Tuberculosis (TB): A very serious infectious disease mainly affecting the lungs. ### 15.2 - Acute: Quickly becoming very serious. - Chronic: Continuing for a long time and unable to be cured. - Communicable: Able to be passed from one sufferer to another; infectious or contagious. - Contagious: Spread from person to person, usually by direct contact. - Inherited: Derived genetically from your parents or ancestors. - Long-term: Continuing for a long time. - Persistent: Continuing to happen or exist, especially for longer than is usual or desirable. - Severe: Very bad or serious. ### 15.3 - Alzheimer's disease: A disease that affects the brain, especially of old people, and makes it hard to talk, move, or remember things. - Cystic fibrosis: An inherited condition, especially affecting children, that makes it hard to breathe and digest food. - Down syndrome: A genetic condition that stops someone from developing in a normal way, both physically and mentally. - Hemophilia: An inherited genetic condition that prevents a person's blood from clotting (becoming thick), so that they lose a lot of blood when injured. - Huntington's disease: An inherited condition that damages cells in the brain, and causes growing difficulties with feeding, behavior, and communication, until a patient can no longer take care of him or herself. - Marfan syndrome: An inherited disorder of the tissues that support the structure of the body and which can cause a patient to have very long limbs and heart problems.