Chapter 7: Diagnosis And Treatment; Surgery

Front 1

anesthesia

Back 1

Loss of the ability to feel pain, as by administration of a drug

Front 2

auscultation

Back 2

Listening for sounds within the body, usually within the chest or abdomen

Front 3

biopsy

Back 3

Removal of a small amount of tissue for microscopic examination

Front 4

chemotherapy

Back 4

Use of chemicals to treat disease. The term is often applied specifically to the treatment of cancer with chemicals.

Front 5

diagnosis

Back 5

The process of determining the cause and nature of an illness

Front 6

endoscope

Back 6

An instrument for examining the inside of an organ or cavity through a body opening or small incision; most endoscopes use fiber optics for viewing

Front 7

excision

Back 7

Removal by cutting (suffix -ectomy)

Front 8

grading

Back 8

A method for evaluating a tumor based on microscopic examination of the cells

Front 9

immunotherapy

Back 9

Treatment that involves stimulation or suppression of the immune system, either specifically or nonspecifically

Front 10

incision

Back 10

A cut, as for surgery; also the act of cutting (suffix” -tomy)

Front 11

ophthalmoscope

Back 11

An instrument for examining the interior of the eye

Front 12

otoscope

Back 12

Instrument used to examine the ears

Front 13

palliative

Back 13

Providing relief but not cure; a treatment that provides such relief

Front 14

palpation

Back 14

Examining by placing the hands or fingers on the surface of the body to determine characteristics such as texture, temperature, movement, and consistency

Front 15

percussion

Back 15

Tapping the body lightly but sharply to assess the condition of the underlying tissue by the sounds obtained

Front 16

prognosis

Back 16

Prediction of the course and outcome of a disease

Front 17

radiography

Back 17

Use of x-rays passed through the body to make a visual record (radiograph) of internal structures on specially sensitized film; roentgenography (rent-ge-NOG-ra-fē)

Front 18

remission

Back 18

A lessening of disease symptoms; the period during which this decrease occurs or the period when no sign of a disease exists

Front 19

sign

Back 19

Objective evidence of disease that can be observed or tested; examples are fever, rash, high blood pressure, and blood or urine abnormalities; an objective symptom.

Front 20

sphygmomanometer

Back 20

Blood pressure apparatus or blood pressure cuff; pressure is read in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) when the heart is contracting (systolic pressure) and when the heart is relaxing (diastolic pressure) and is reported as systolic/diastolic

Front 21

staging

Back 21

The process of classifying malignant tumors for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis

Front 22

stethoscope

Back 22

An instrument used for listening to sounds produced within the body (from the Greek root steth/o, meaning “chest”)

Front 23

surgery

Back 23

A method for treating disease or injury by manual operations

Front 24

suture

Back 24

To unite parts by stitching them together; also the thread or other material used in that process or the seam formed by surgical stitching (suffix -rhaphy)

Front 25

symptom

Back 25

Any evidence of disease; sometimes limited to subjective evidence of disease, as experienced by the individual, such as pain, dizziness, and weakness

Front 26

therapy

Back 26

Treatment; intervention

Front 27

vital signs

Back 27

Measurements that reflect basic functions necessary to maintain life

Front 28

acupuncture

Back 28

An ancient Chinese method of inserting thin needles into the body at specific points to relieve pain, induce anesthesia, or promote healing; similar effects can be obtained by using firm finger pressure at the surface of the body in the technique of acupressure.

Front 29

chiropractor

Back 29

A science that stresses the condition of the nervous system in diagnosis and treatment of disease; often, the spine is manipulated to correct misalignment. Most patients consult for musculoskeletal pain and headaches. (From Greek cheir, meaning “hand”)

Front 30

holistic health care

Back 30

Practice of treating a person as a whole entity with physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. It stresses comprehensive care, involvement in one's own care, and the maintenance of good health rather than the treatment of disease.

Front 31

homeopathy

Back 31

A philosophy of treating disease by administering drugs in highly diluted form along with promoting healthy life habits and a healthy environment (from home/o, meaning “same,” and path, meaning “disease”)

Front 32

meditation

Back 32

Process of clearing the mind by concentrating on the inner self while controlling breathing and perhaps repeating a word or phrase (mantra)

Front 33

naturopathy

Back 33

A therapeutic philosophy of helping people to heal themselves by developing healthy lifestyles; naturopaths may use some of the methods of conventional medicine (from nature and path/o, meaning “disease”).

Front 34

osteopathy

Back 34

A system of therapy based on the theory that the body can overcome disease when it has normal structure, a favorable environment, and proper nutrition. Osteopaths use standard medical practices for diagnosis and treatment but stress the identification and correction of faulty body structure (from oste/o, meaning “bone,” and path, meaning “disease”).

Front 35

cyanosis

Back 35

Bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen

Front 36

diaphoresis

Back 36

Profuse sweating

Front 37

malaise

Back 37

A feeling of discomfort or uneasiness, often indicative of infection

Front 38

nocturnal

Back 38

Pertaining to or occurring at night (roots noct/i and nyct/o mean “night”)

Front 39

pallor

Back 39

Paleness; lack of color

Front 40

prodrome

Back 40

A symptom indicating an approaching disease

Front 41

syncope

Back 41

A temporary loss of consciousness because of inadequate blood flow to the brain; fainting

Front 42

febrile

Back 42

Pertaining to fever

Front 43

nuclear medicine

Back 43

The branch of medicine concerned with the use of radioactive substances (radionuclides) for diagnosis, therapy, and research

Front 44

radiology

Back 44

The branch of medicine that uses radiation, such as x-rays, in the diagnosis and treatment of disease; a specialist in this field is a radiologist.

Front 45

syndrome

Back 45

A group of signs and symptoms that together characterize a disease condition

Front 46

catheter

Back 46

A thin tube that can be passed into the body; used to remove fluids from or introduce fluids into a body cavity

Front 47

irrigation

Back 47

Flushing of a tube, cavity, or area with a fluid

Front 48

lavage

Back 48

The washing out of a cavity; irrigation

Front 49

normal saline solution (NSS)

Back 49

A salt (NaCl) solution compatible with living cells; also called physiologic saline solution (PSS)

Front 50

prophylaxis

Back 50

Prevention of disease

Front 51

drain

Back 51

Device for allowing matter to escape from a wound or cavity; common types include Penrose (cigarette), T-tube, Jackson–Pratt (J-P), and Hemovac

Front 52

ligature

Back 52

A tie or bandage; the process of binding or tying (also called ligation)

Front 53

resection

Back 53

Partial excision of a structure

Front 54

stapling

Back 54

In surgery, the joining of tissue by using wire staples that are pushed through the tissue and then bent

Front 55

surgeon

Back 55

One who specializes in surgery