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Glossary of Medical Terminology

 

Abortifacient

It is a substance that induces abortion.

Abscesses

A swollen area within body tissue, containing an accumulation of pus.

Agitation

A state of anxiety or nervous excitement.

Alexeteric

Protective against infection or poison.

Alopecia

It is a condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body, usually from the scalp.

Amenorrhoea

It is the absence of a menstrual period in a woman of reproductive age.

Anodyne

A medicine, such as aspirin, that relieves pain.

Anthelmintic

These are drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) from the body, by either stunning or killing them. They may also be called vermifuges (stunning) or vermicides (killing).

Antibilious

Countering liver disorders.

Antidysenteric

A herb or substance that counteract dysentery.

Anti-emetic

It is a drug that is effective against vomiting and nausea.

Anti-inflammatory

It refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation.

Antipyretic

These are the drugs or herbs that reduce fever.

Antiseptic

These are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction.

Aperients

A substance with the ability to purge the digestive system of a given agent.

Aphrodisiac

It is a substance that increases sexual desire.

Aphthae

A small ulcer occurring in groups in the mouth or on the tongue.

Appetite

It is the desire to eat food, felt as hunger.

Arthritis

It is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints.

Ascites

It is the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, causing abdominal swelling.

Asthma

It is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Common symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

Astringent

It is a chemical compound that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, usually locally after topical medicinal application.

Attenuant

Drug causing dilution or thinness.

Biliousness

It pertains to bad digestion, stomach pains, constipation, and excessive flatulence (passing gas).

Bleeding

Technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging, is the loss of blood or blood escaping from the circulatory system.

Blennorrhagia

It is an excess of mucous discharge, especially from the urethra or vagina.

Boils

It is a skin infection that starts in a hair follicle or oil gland. At first, the skin turns red in the area of the infection, and a tender lump develops. After four to seven days, the lump starts turning white as pus collects under the skin.

Bronchitis

It is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the bronchi.

Bruises

An injury appearing as an area of discolored skin on the body, caused by a blow or impact rupturing underlying blood vessels.

Buboes

An inflamed, tender swelling of a lymph node, especially in the area of the armpit or groin, that is characteristic of certain infections, such as bubonic plague and syphilis.

Carminative

It is an herb or preparation that either prevents formation of gas in the gastrointestinal tract or facilitates the expulsion of said gas.

Catarrh

It is a disorder of inflammation of the mucous membranes in one of the airways or cavities of the body

Cathartic

It is a substance that accelerates defecation (the final act of digestion, by which organisms eliminate solid, semisolid, and/or liquid waste material from the digestive tract via the anus).

Chilblains

It is a tissue injury that occurs when a predisposed individual is exposed to cold and humidity.

Cholera

An acute infectious disease of the small intestine, caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, muscle cramps, severe dehydration, and depletion of electrolytes.

Colic

Severe pain in the abdomen.

Congestion

An abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fluid/blood.

Conjunctivitis

It is inflammation of the conjunctiva (the outermost layer of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids). It is commonly due to an infection (usually viral, but sometimes bacterial) or an allergic reaction.

Constipation

An acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass.

Cough

It is a sudden and often repetitively occurring reflex which helps to clear large breathing passages from secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes.

Cramps

These are neural sensations caused by muscle contraction or over-shortening. Common causes of skeletal muscle cramps may include muscle fatigue, low sodium, low potassium, and/or low magnesium.

Cutaneous

relating to, or affecting the skin

Cystitis

It is an infection that affects urinary bladder.

Demulcent

It is an agent that forms a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.

Deobstruent

Having power to clear or open the natural ducts of the fluids and secretions of the body; aperients.

Depression

A state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well-being.

Dermatophytosis

It is a superficial fungal infection of the skin, hair or nails.

Diabetes

It is a metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced.

Diarrhoea

It is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day.

Diathesis

A hereditary or acquired susceptibility of the body to one or more diseases.

Diphtheria

It is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane (a pseudo membrane) on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity.

Diuretic

Any substance that promotes the production of urine.

Dropsy/ Edema

It is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the interstitium, which are locations beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body. It is clinically shown as swelling.

Dysentery

It is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing blood and mucus in the feces with fever, abdominal pain, and rectal tenesmus (a feeling of incomplete defecation), caused by any kind of infection. It is a type of gastroenteritis.

Dysmenorrhea

A medical condition of pain during menstruation that interferes with daily activities.

Dyspepsia

It is a condition of impaired digestion.

Eczema

It is a form of chronic inflammation of the skin

Elephantiasis

It is a disease that is characterized by the thickening of the skin and underlying tissues, especially in the legs and male genitals.

Emollient

An agent that softens or soothes the skin.

Epilepsy

A neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Epiphora

It is overflow of tears onto the face.

Eruption

An appearance of a rash or blemish on the skin.

Expectorant

They intend to promote drainage of mucus from the lungs.

Febrifuge

A medication that reduces fever; an antipyretic.

Fever

An elevation of body temperature above the normal range of 36.5–37.5 °C.

Filariasis

It is a parasitic disease (usually an infectious tropical disease) that is caused by thread-like nematodes (roundworms) belonging to the superfamily Filarioidea, also known as "filariae". These are transmitted from host to host by blood-feeding arthropods, mainly black flies and mosquitoes.

Glycosuria

It is the excretion of glucose into the urine.

Goiter

Swelling of the neck resulting from enlargement of the thyroid gland.

Gonorrhoea

It is a common human sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The usual symptoms in men are burning with urination and penile discharge. Women, on the other hand, are asymptomatic half the time or have vaginal discharge and pelvic pain.

Gout

It is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint.

Haemorrhages

A condition with profuse bleeding from ruptured blood vessels.

Haemostatic

An agent which causes bleeding to stop.

Headache

It refers to pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck.

Helminthiasis

A disease caused by infestation with parasitic worms.

Hemicrania

A pain or aching on one side of the head.

Hemorrhoids/ Piles

These are vascular structures in the anal canal caused by abnormal accumulation of blood.

Hepatomegaly

It is the condition of having an enlarged liver.

Herpes

It is a viral disease from the herpesviridae family caused by both Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2.

Hiccup

It is an involuntary contraction (myoclonic jerk) of the diaphragm that may repeat several times per minute.

Hydrogogue

A substance that promotes watery evacuation of bowels.

Hypertension

It is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated.

Hypoglycaemic

Any of various agents that decrease the level of glucose in the blood and are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Hysteria

A disorder in which a patient experiences physical symptoms that have a psychological rather than an organic cause; and histrionic personality disorder characterized by excessive emotions, dramatics, and attention-seeking behavior.

Indigestion

Pain or discomfort in the stomach associated with difficulty in digesting food.

Inflammation

It is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The classical signs of acute inflammation are pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function.

Insomia

It refers to habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep.

Itching

It is a sensation that causes the desire or reflex to scratch.

Jaundice

It is a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, the conjunctival membranes over the sclerae (whites of the eyes), and other mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia (increased levels of bilirubin in the blood). This hyperbilirubinemia subsequently causes increased levels of bilirubin in the extra cellular fluid.

Lachrymation

It refers to the production or shedding of tears.

Leprosy

It is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions are the primary external sign.

Leucoderma

It is a cutaneous condition, an acquired condition with localized loss of pigmentation of the skin that may occur after any number of inflammatory skin conditions, burns, intralesional steroid injections, postdermabrasion, etc

Leucorrhoea

It is a medical term that denotes a thick, whitish or yellowish vaginal discharge.

Lumbago

A painful condition of the lower back, as one resulting from muscle strain or a slipped disk.

Lymphangitis

It refers to the inflammation of the walls of the lymphatic vessels.

Malaria

It is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by parasitic protozoans (a type of unicellular microorganism) of the genus Plasmodium. Commonly, the disease is transmitted via a bite from an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which introduces the organisms from its saliva into the person's circulatory system.

Narcotic

An addictive drug affecting mood or behaviour, especially an illegal one.

Nephritis

An inflammation of the kidney.

Obesity

It is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.

Ointment

A fatty or oily medicated formulation applied to the skin to heal or protect.

Ophthalmia

It is inflammation of the eye.

Opium

It is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy.

Palpitation

It is an abnormality of heartbeat that ranges from often unnoticed skipped beats or accelerated heart rate to very noticeable changes accompanied by dizziness or difficulty in breathing.

Paralysis

It is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles.

Pectoral

The chest region and anything relating to it

Pitta/ Liver

It is involved in metabolic activities of digestion and biochemical reactions.

Pruritus

It means itching.

Pulmonary

Relating to the lungs.

Purgative/ Laxative

Drugs taken to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation.

Pyuria

It is the condition of urine containing pus.

Renal

Relating to the kidneys.

Rheumatism

It is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue.

Rhinitis

It is the inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose, caused by a virus infection or by allergic reaction.

Rubefacient

It is a substance for topical application that produces redness of the skin e.g. by causing dilation of the capillaries and an increase in blood circulation.

Scabies

It is a contagious skin infection caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei.

Sciatica

It is a set of symptoms including pain caused by general compression or irritation of one of five spinal nerve roots of each sciatic nerve or by compression or irritation of the left or right or both sciatic nerves.

Scrofula

A disease with glandular swellings, probably a form of tuberculosis.

Scurvy

It is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans.

Sedative

A drug that reduces excitability and calms a person and having a soothing, calming, or tranquilizing effect thus reducing or relieving anxiety, stress, irritability, or excitement.

Smallpox

It is an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor.

Sore throats

It is pain or irritation of the throat.

Sores

Any lesion of the skin or mucous membranes.

Spermicidal

It is a contraceptive substance that destroys sperm.

Spleen

A large, highly vascular lymphoid organ, lying in the human body to the left of the stomach below the diaphragm, serving to store blood, disintegrate old blood cells, filter foreign substances from the blood, and produce lymphocytes.

Splenomegaly

It is an enlargement of the spleen.

Stimulant

A psychoactive drug which induces temporary improvement in either mental or physical function or both.

Strangury

It is the symptom of painful, frequent urination of small volumes that are expelled slowly only by straining and despite a severe sense of urgency, usually with the residual feeling of incomplete emptying.

Styptic

Tending to check bleeding by contracting the tissues or blood vessels; hemostatic.

Syphilis

It is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum. It may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis.

Tonic

A medicinal preparation intended to improve and strengthen the functioning of the body.

Traumatic

A serious injury or shock to the body, as from violence or an accident.

Tuberculosis

It is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis typically attacks the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body.

Tumor

It is an abnormal mass of tissue which may be solid or fluid-filled.

Ulcers

It is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes the organ of which that membrane is a part from continuing its normal functions.

Uraemia

An illness accompanying kidney failure, in particular the nitrogenous waste products associated with the failure of this organ.

Urticaria

It is a kind of skin rash notable for pale red, raised, itchy bumps.

Venereal

Illnesses that have a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex.

Vermifuge

A medicine that expels intestinal worms.

Vulnerary

Used in the healing or treating of wounds.

Wound

It is a type of injury in which skin is torn, cut, or punctured (an open wound), or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion (a closed wound).