Clinical Skills Vocab- Mnop

Front 1

softening of tissue by soaking, used to refer to breakdown of skin due to excessive moisture, for example with diaper rash on a baby or fungal infection of the skin between folds of the stomach or under the breasts in adults.

Back 1

maceration

Front 2

inflammation of the breast usually occurs during breast feeding and is detected by redness, heat, and tenderness or pain, this is a type of cellulitis or localized soft tissue infection which requires antibiotics for recovery.

Back 2

mastitis

Front 3

the external opening of a canal.

Back 3

meatus

Front 4

the dark-green stool of the newborn which usually clears within the first few days of life to be replaced by a yellow or pale green seedy type of stool. The release of meconium in utero is sign of stress in the fetus and depending on the time of the release either the amniotic fluid will be green or have chunks of meconium in it and the skin of the newborn may be stained somewhat green.

Back 4

meconium

Front 5

an abnormally large or dilated colon which can be congenital, acquired, acute, or chronic. The most common cause is due to chronic constipation but a congenital absence of ganglion cells in the distal bowel which causes loss of motor function needs to be ruled-out. This condition is also referred to as “Hirschsprung’s Disease.”

Back 5

megacolon

Front 6

relating to the middle or center.

Back 6

medial

Front 7

dark tarry stool related to a lower gastrointestional bleed above the splenic flexure of the colon.

Back 7

melena

Front 8

infection or inflammation of the meninges

Back 8

meningitis

Front 9

excessively profuse or prolonged menstruation.

Back 9

menorrhagia

Front 10

inflammation of a muscle.

Back 10

myositis

Front 11

surgical incision in the tympanic membrane of the ear. This is done to insert an ear tube or to culture the ear for pus.

Back 11

myringotomy

Front 12

a tumor composed of primitive connective tissue cells and stroma resembling mesenchyme. It is most commonly found in the atrium and the region of the fossa ovalis at the interatrial septum and can be a cause of obstruction.

Back 12

myxoma

Front 13

a tube inserted through the nose, down the throat and esophagus, and into the stomach. It can be put on low intermittent suction or continuous suction. It is used to check the contents of the stomach for blood or coffee grounds and to decompress the stomach of the gastric fluids that are secreted in the event of an ileus or other intestinal obstruction. An ileus is paralysis of the intestine.

Back 13

NG tube

Front 14

an unpleasant sensation of impending vomiting, frequently localized to the epigastrium.

Back 14

nausea

Front 15

tissue death – can occur in response to a toxin or in response to lack of blood supply or infection.

Back 15

necrosis

Front 16

referring to the newborn.

Back 16

neonatal

Front 17

a word for tumor.

Back 17

neoplasm

Front 18

kidney stones.

Back 18

nephrolithiasis

Front 19

pain coming from the nerves. For example, postherpetic neuralgia. This is a pain syndrome that occurs after herpes virus infections such as shingles.

Back 19

neuralgia

Front 20

irregular jerking movement of the eyes.

Back 20

nystagmus

Front 21

abbreviation for the right eye (oculus dexter).

Back 21

O.D.

Front 22

abbreviation for the left eye (oculus sinister).

Back 22

O.S.

Front 23

a condition in which the weight is greater than 20% above ideal body weight; alternatively identified as a BMI > 27 kg/m2.

Back 23

obesity

Front 24

persistent failure to pass any stool.

Back 24

obstipation

Front 25

painful swallowing.

Back 25

odynophagia

Front 26

urinary output less than 400 ml per 24 hours.

Back 26

oliguria

Front 27

inflammation or infection of the testes.

Back 27

orchitis

Front 28

disturbance of attention, memory, intellect, and orientation; may have delusions or hallucinations.

Back 28

organic brain syndrome

Front 29

inability to breathe comfortably when supine.

Back 29

orthopnea

Front 30

a drop in blood pressure when changing position, for example, from lying down to sitting-up or from sitting-up to standing-up. This may be caused by loss of blood volume or by pooling of the blood in the lower extremities.

Back 30

orthostatic HTN

Front 31

the arthritis due to wear and tear of aging, also known as degenerative joint disease.

Back 31

osteoarthritis

Front 32

infection in the bone

Back 32

osteomyelitis

Front 33

porous or thin bones

Back 33

osteoporosis

Front 34

pain in the ear.

Back 34

otalgia

Front 35

infection in the ear.

Back 35

otitis

Front 36

the study of the ear, nose, and throat.

Back 36

otolaryngology

Front 37

discharge from the ear.

Back 37

otorrhea

Front 38

the natural hormone made by women which causes contractions of the uterus. Release of this hormone can be caused by nipple stimulation late in pregnancy.

Back 38

oxytocin

Front 39

awareness of the heart beat.

Back 39

palpitation

Front 40

inflammation of the pancreas

Back 40

pancreatitis

Front 41

swelling of the optic nerve head.

Back 41

papilledema

Front 42

weakness or partial paralysis.

Back 42

paresis

Front 43

sensation of burning, crawling, or tingling.

Back 43

paresthesia

Front 44

completion of pregnancy beyond what would be considered an abortion (usually 20 weeks). Refers to number of pregnancies not the number of fetuses. Often listed as a sequence of four numbers, i.e., 2012. These numbers refer to (left to right) the number of term pregnancies, the number of premature pregnancies delivered, the number of spontaneous and induced abortions, and finally the number of living children.

Back 44

parity

Front 45

waking up from sleep with sudden shortness of breath.

Back 45

paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

Front 46

swelling of feet

Back 46

pedal edema

Front 47

space between the bowels and the abdominal wall

Back 47

peritoneum

Front 48

pinpoint-size hemorrhages.

Back 48

petechiae

Front 49

sensitivity to light that is usually associated with corneal disease.

Back 49

photophobia

Front 50

complete paralysis. Hemiplegia, paralysis of one side of the body and the limbs on that side; paraplegia, paralysis of the legs and lower part of the body, usually caused by disease or injury of the spinal cord; quadriplegia, paralysis of the body and joints.

Back 50

plegia

Front 51

any pleural inflammation; loosely, the pain associated with disease of the pleura.

Back 51

pleurisy

Front 52

clinical term that most commonly refers to pulmonary inflammation due to infection.

Back 52

pneumonia

Front 53

any pulmonary inflammation.

Back 53

pneumonitis

Front 54

abnormally increased frequency of menstrual flow

Back 54

polymenorrhea or metrorrhagia

Front 55

that period of time beginning with delivery and ending six weeks thereafter.

Back 55

postpartum

Front 56

a syndrome peculiar to pregnancy which is defined by elevated blood pressure, excessive fluid retention, and proteinuria

Back 56

preeclampsia

Front 57

filling pressure of the heart

Back 57

preload

Front 58

before and after a meal.

Back 58

preprandial and postprandial

Front 59

diminution of the power of accommodation of the eye due to the aging process.

Back 59

presbyopia

Front 60

immediately preceding the first sound; occurring in the latter one-third of diastole.

Back 60

presystolic

Front 61

woman pregnant for the first time.

Back 61

primigravida

Front 62

woman who has borne one viable infant.

Back 62

primipara

Front 63

perception of movements and position of the body and joints

Back 63

proprioception

Front 64

forward displacement of the eyeball.

Back 64

proptosis

Front 65

itching

Back 65

pruritis

Front 66

a condition with clinical symptoms of dementia but not due to organic disease and without the permanent cognitive sequelae

Back 66

pseudodementia

Front 67

drooping of the upper eyelid (blepharoptosis).

Back 67

ptosis

Front 68

the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure

Back 68

pulse pressure

Front 69

purplish discolorations caused by bleeding into the skin and visible mucous membranes, that is, “black and blue spots.”

Back 69

purpura

Front 70

presence of leukocytes in the urine.

Back 70

pyuria