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Alexander Harris Solicitors - Medical Glossary Category: Health and Medicine > Medical Glossary Date & country: 07/01/2008, UK Words: 61

Abiotrophy
Loss of function or degeneration for reasons unknown. For example, cerebellar abiotrophy may affect coordination while cone-rod abiotrophy may cause blindness at birth.

Achillodynia
Pain due to inflammation of the Achilles tendon or the bursa associated with it.

Anterior Cord Syndrome
Anterior cord syndrome is damage to the front of the spinal cord, affecting pain, temperature and touch sensation, but leaving some pressure and joint sensation.

Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a serious long term lung disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres over a prolonged period.

Bacillophobia
An abnormal and persistent fear of bacilli (bacteria).

Bariatrics
The field of medicine that offers treatment for the person who is overweight with a comprehensive program.

Birth Injury
Common birth injuries include skin irritations, paralysis, fractured bones, brain injury and nerve damage.

Breast Lump (Breast Lumps)
A lump in the breast that may or may not be cancerous

Breast Ultrasound
A Breast Ultrasound Scan, is when sound waves are used to examine the breast.

Bronchitis
Bronchitis is an infection of the airways in the lungs

Brown-Sequard Syndrome
Brown-Sequard Syndrome is damage to one side of the spinal cord, causing a reduction of power on that side of the body.

Cancer Vaccines
These are experimental treatments that are currently being researched

Cannula
A find tube that is inserted into the body

Carboplatin
A Chemotherapy drug

Carcinogen
Carcinogens are things that cause cancer.

Carcinoma
Carcinoma is a malignant growth (cancer) of epithelial tissue.

Cataract
A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye. They usually develop over a period of time and vision slowly becomes blurred.

Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES)
Cauda Equina Syndrome results from a prolapsed disc pressing on the bundle of nerve roots at the base of the spinal column.

Central Cord Syndrome
Central Cord Syndrome is damage to the centre of the spinal cord

Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious neurological disorders

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Deep Vein Thrombus (DVT) is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein.

Epilepsy
If a person has repeated fits or seizures this could be Epilepsy

Eschera coli (E. Coli)
The strain E. coli 0157 is a mutant bacteria and particularly powerful and can be fatal.

Fibroids
Present in 20 per cent of women of reproductive age, fibroids are benign tumours of the womb

Gynaecologists
Gynaecologists deal with disorders and conditions of the female reproductive system.

Hepatitis
Meaning 'liver inflammation' Hepatitis is often caused by a virus, but can have other causes such as excess alcohol.

Inquest
When the cause of death remains in doubt the Coroner's Court holds an inquest

Insulin
A hormone that is released by the pancreas

Joint hypermobility
Joint hypermobility, some people have joints that have an unusually large range of movement.

Knee replacement
Knee replacement surgery involves replacing a damaged, worn or diseased knee joint with an artificial joint.

Legionnaires' Disease
Causing 2% of pneumonia cases that need hospital treatment Legionnaires' is a type of pneumonia or lung infection.

Levamisole
Levamisole is used in the treatment of bowel cancer.

Meningitis
Meningitis is the inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, the meninges, which can cause serious disability or even death.

Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that begins in the mesothelium, the membrane that covers and protects most of the body's internal organs.

NECROTISING FASCIITIS
First described by Meleney in 1924 Necrotising Fasciitis (NF) caused by Group A beta-haemolytic streptococci is considered a severe and relatively rare disease.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)
There are many different types of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma a group of diseases that are cancers of the lymphatic system.

Occupational Skin Disease
Occupational Skin Disease is the response of the skin to physical, chemical or biological agents in the workplace.

Olanzapine
Olanzapine is a drug used to treat schizophrenia and belongs to the antipsychotics group of medicines and is used to treat schizophrenia.

Pacemakers
Pacemakers are used to regulate heart beats.

Persistent Vegetative State (PVS)
A condition in which the patient can't speak or follow commands

Pleural Plaques
Pleural plaques are patches of thickening over the pleura which become hardened over time.

Post-traumatic stress disorder
The term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was first used after the Vietnam War and formalized in 1980

Posterior Cord Syndrome
Posterior Cord Syndrome is damage to the back of the spinal cord

Retrograde Amnesia
The loss of memory

Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK. It is estimated that there are presently more than 70,000 newly diagnosed cases per year.

Statins
Statins are new group of drugs and are used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.

Stents
Stents are small mesh tubes which are inserted into diseased arteries.

Stroke
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off.

Subdural haematoma
If a vein in the subdural space is torn, if blood escapes and forms into a blood clot this is called a Subdural haematoma.

Thrombosis
Thrombosis is the clotting of blood within a vein or artery.

Urinalysis
A urine sample is called a Urinalysis / UA

Vaccination - Immunisations
Vaccination or immunisations are given to make the body's immune system produce antibodies

Ventilator
A machine that helps people breathe.

Ventouse - Vacuum Extraction
By putting a small silicone plastic cup on the baby's head and removing the air to make a vacuum it is then possible to pull the baby out while the mother pushes.

Ventricles
Spaces (Cavities) in the brain

Vestibular
Part of the body that senses movement

Wernicke's Area
An area of the brain

White Blood Cells
These are special blood cells that fight infection and disease.

Xerodema pigmentosum
A rare inherited disease

Yew Tree
Taxol the chemotherapy is made from the Yew Tree

X-ray
By using low levels of radiation picture can be produced of inside the body.