Vocabulary list for health sciences

David Bar-Tzur

GENERAL TERMINOLOGY

adolescence adulthood ambulance asymmetry capacity celsius childhood
conscious cross-section dentist determine (a value) discriminate doctor expand
Fahrenheit flow gynecologist holistic hospital infancy infusion
internal medicine microscope motoric near-death experience nurse orthopedics
patient perception physical (exam) physician pressure Red Cross scar
stabilize sterile structure symmetry weigh weight

AIDS

See also Sexuality.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome-> AIDS anonymous/ confidential (testing) bleed blood-> donate ~ draw ~
born breast milk breastfeed bruise cancer casual contact cause (a disease)
chronic cough cunnilingus decompensation diarrhea disease donating (blood)
drugs ELISA enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay fatigue fever glands hemophilia
high risk behavior HIV+ Human Immunodeficiency Virus immunity infect infection inject
intercourse intravenous IV Kaposi's sarcoma KS lose weight lubricant
lungs multiple partners needle night sweats PCP Person [living] with AIDS pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
pneumonia PWA Red Cross risk safe (sex) safe(r) sex saliva
(blood) screening sensitive sero-convert share needles skin sterile sterilize
swelling, swollen thrush tongue (blood) transfusion transmit (infect) virus weight loss
window period womb

ANATOMY

See also Sexuality under "Sexual anatomy".

abdomen-> four quadrants of the ~ anatomy anterior anus back backbone
ball and socket joint bellybutton bilateral blood bone(s) breast(s) cell
cervical cap cervix chart client confidential costovertebral cross-section
cusp diaphragm disk ear-> ~drum ~mold three bones (in middle ~)
esophagus extension flexion heart hinge hinge joint hips
inferior intestine involuntary joint kidney large intestine larnyx
lateral lateral bending lateral flexion lumbar-spinal lungs marrow mid-axillary line
mid-clavicular line mid-sternal line mucous membranes muscle nerve nipples organ
particle pelvis permeable pisiform posterior rib(s) sac
sacro-iliac joint semi-permeable skeleton skin small intestine spinal column spinal cord
spine subcutaneous superior thorax throat tissue tongue
transverse unilateral ureter urethra

CHILDBIRTH AND BIRTH CONTROL
See also Sexuality under "Sexual anatomy and function".

abort abstinence alternative insemination amniocentesis bellybutton birth birth control
birth defect born bottlefeed breast breastfeed breast sucking Caesarian section
coitus interruptus conception condom contraception contraceptive contraceptive foam contraceptive implants
contraction deliver, delivery diaper diaphragm doula egg (ovary) embryo
Fallopian tubes family planning fertile fertilization fetus foam (contraceptive) gestation
gynecologist head (classifier) impotence impregnate incubation period infertility intrauterine device
Kegel exercises labor Lamaze Leboyer menstruate, menstruation midwife miscarriage
nipples ob-gyn obstetrician ovary ovulate ovum pelvic exam
period placenta post partum depression pregnancy, pregnant rhythm spermicide sterilization, sterlize
trimester triplet(s) tubal ligation umbilicus umbilical cord uterus vasectomy
water-> body retains (or takes on) ~ ~ broke wean withdrawal

DIAGNOSIS

See also "Pathology and symptoms" and "Physiology" below.

adventitious amniocentesis autopsy blink blood test blood pressure breast self-examination
cause chronic congenital culture diagnose diagnosis draw blood
electrocardiogram electroencephalogram etiology exhale inhale motor skills-> fine ~
gross ~ oral culture palpate pelvic exam physical (exam) postmortem pulse
RH factor rubella scanning electron microscope source speculum stethoscope take blood
test throat culture tongue blade (depressor) urinalysis vagina vaginal culture x-ray

DIET AND NUTRITION

See also Culinary arts.

calorie chew cholesterol diet diet pills digest hydrogenated
intestine metabolism metabolize polyunsaturated fat protein saturated fat toxic
unsaturated fat

HEARING LOSS

acoustics amplification amplifier amplify attenuation audiologist audiology
audiometer auditory canal auditory nerve bel consultant decibel discriminate
feedback hearing loss-> adventitious (~) conductive (~) congenital (~) mild (~) moderate (~)
postlingual (~) postvocational (~) prelingual (~) prevocational (~) mild (~) profound (~) sensorineural (~)
severe (~) loudness middle ear monotone outer ear pinna pressure
sound sound wave speech tight vibrate, vibration volume

MEDICATIONS

See also Chemistry under "Elements and compounds".

amphetamine aspirin calcium cubic centimeters depressant diet pills drug(s)
expectorant eye drops gram medicine milligram milliliter ointment
pharmacy pill-> take ~ powder prescription prescription drugs tranquilizer
vaccinate valium vitamin

NEUROLOGY

association area auditory area auditory perception autonomic axon brainstem central nervous system
cerebellum cerebral cortex convolutions corpus collosum cortex cortical dendrite
diploid DNA efferent (neuron) (nerve) excitation forebrain frontal (lobes) hindbrain
left hemisphere lobes localization medulla midbrain motor area neurology
neuron neurotransmitter occipital (lobes) parasympathetic parietal (lobes) peripheral nervous system receptor
reflex refractory period reticular activating system right hemisphere sensory area sensory perception speech area
stimulus sympathetic synapse temporal (lobes) visual area visual perception

PATHOLOGY AND SYMPTOMS

See also Psychology and Sexuality under "AIDS" and "Venereal diseases and their symptoms".

abnormal ache acute adventitious allergy Alzheimer's amputate
anesthesia antibiotic antibody antigen asthma asymptomatic atrophy
AZT bacteria bacteria vaginosus bedridden birth defect bite (animal) bite (insect)
blanche bleed blind bloodshot eyes break (bone) breakdown bronchitis
bruise bump burn carrier cataract catch (a disease) cause
caustic cavity chancre chickenpox chill choke chronic
cold communicable disease community acquired disease complications congested (nasal) constipated contagious
cough cramp(s) cut decay decompose dehydrate, dehydration demented
dementia deteriorate developmentally disabled deviate, deviation diarrhea disabled disablity
discharge discoloration disease-> catch/get/acquire a ~ disorientation, disoriented dizziness Down's syndrome
drowsiness E coli edema epidemic epilepsy erupt Escherichia coli
exposure fagocytize faint fever fracture gag gasp
glaucoma heart attack hemophilia hiccup hot flashes hurt ill->
to be ill illness immune, immunity immune system immunity immuno-suppressed impacted
incubation period incurable infection infectious infirmary inflammation injure
insomnia irritate itch lesion limp lump macular degeneration
malignant measles metastasize Mittelschmerz mumps muscular dystrophy myopia, myopic
nausea near-sighted/ness night blindness night sweats numb obese out-patient
pain pain with urination pale palpitate palsy paralysis paraplegic
pass out pneumonia premenstrual syndrome quadriplegic rash reflux (acid) regurgitate
retinal detachment retinitis pigmentosa RH factor rubella Salmonella seizure sensitive
Shigella shortness of breath sick sleepy sneeze somatic sore
sore on one's mouth spaced out spasm sprain Staph Staphylococcus sting
stroke superficial susceptible symptom TB tense tension
terminal tonsillitis toxin trace transmission transmit trauma
tuberculosis tunnel vision ulcer, ulceration unconscious Usher syndrome vector virus
vision loss vomit-> projectile ~ing wart water-> body retains (or takes on) ~ weight->
lose ~

PHYSIOLOGY

bowel movement breathe belch burp chew circulation defecation
digest eliminate enzyme excrete exhale expectorate feces
glands heartbeat hemoglobin homeostasis hormone(s) hypothalamus inhale
intestine limbic system membrane menarche menopause menstrual cramps menstruate, menstruation
metabolism oxygen perspire physiology protein respiration sensation
sense sneeze sputum stomach thalamus urine urinate, urination
vision

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES AND SYMPTOMS

See also "AIDS" above and Health Sciences under "Pathology".

burn (penis) burn (vagina) chlamydia crabs diagnose diagnosis gonorrhea
herpes itching (penis) itching (vagina) non-gonococcal urethritis Pelvic Inflammatory Disease pubic lice scabies
Sexually Transmitted Disease(s) sore on one's penis sore on one's vagina syphilis ulceration (penis) ulceration (vagina) vagina->
discharge from ~ itching (~) sore/ulceration (~) gonorrhea herpes syphillis venereal disease
venereal wart

THERAPY, SURGERY, AND RECOVERY
See also "Medications" above and Physical therapy.

acupuncture amputation anesthesia aseptic assisted suicide backrub bandage
band-aid C(a)esarean section calorie carbohydrate chiropractic chiropractor circumcision
clamp clinic cochlear implant diet disinfect douche dress (a wound)
dressing emergency department emergency room euthanasia evaluate exacerbate examination
first aid forceps genetic engineering group therapy Heimlich maneuver hygiene hygienist
hypnotize hypodermic hysterectomy inject-> bunch (the skin) to ~ stretch (the skin) to ~ in-patient
instrumentation intramuscular intradermal inoculate, inoculation intravenous Kegel exercises Kvorkian
ICU intensive care (unit) lose weight massage medicine nebulizer nutrient
nutrition ob-gyn operate operating room operation organ donation out of body experience
out-patient overweight oxygen recover, recovery rectum rehabilitation relapse
remission risk scar screen shot sponge sterile
suction surgery symptom therapy thermometer tonsillectomy toxin
treat treatment vaccination weight-> lose ~ wheelchair

VISION

blind braille cane cataract dark adaptation deteriorate discriminate
glaucoma illusion light adaptation magnification magnify mobility myopia, myopic
near-sighted/ness night blindness orientation orientation and mobility peripheral vision retinal detachment retinitis pigmentosa
sighted person tactile tactual tunnel vision Usher syndrome vision vision loss

For the signs for these terms, see Signs for technical/specialized vocabulary.

For additional relevant terms, see Vocabulary list for alcohol and drug addiction.

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