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 Medical dictionary
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Ecchymosis: bruising.
Echography: a specialist type of ultrasound scan.
Eclampsia: pregnancy complication.
Ectopic: in the wrong place.
Ectopic pregnancy: pregnancy occurring elsewhere than in the cavity of
the uterus.
Ectropion: when the inner portion of the eyelid turns outward.
Eczema: an inflammatory condition causing scaling, redness, and
blistering.
Efficacy: strength or potency, effectiveness. The ability of a drug to
control or cure an illness.
Effusion: collection of fluid.
Elastin: a protein that forms the main part of yellow elastic tissue
fibers eg in the external ear.
Elective: non-urgent.
Electrocardiography: recording of the hearts electrical activity.
Electroencephalogram (EEG): a technique for recording the pattern of
electrical currents inside the brain.
Electroencephalography (EEG): recording of the brains electrical
activity.
Electrolysis: is the permanent removal of hair with the use of an
electric current.
Electrolyte: any compound that, in solution, conducts a current in
electricity and is decomposed by it. An ionizable substance in solution.
Electro-myogram (EMG): recording of muscle tension
Electromyography: a special recording technique that detects muscle
activity.
Electro-oculogram (EOG): recording of eye movements, required for sleep
staging to define rapid eye movement sleep
(dreaming sleep).
Electrophysiological: involving study of electrical phenomena in living
bodies.
Embolism: obstruction or occlusion of a vessel by a transported clot or
vegetation, a mass of bacteria or other foreign material.
Embolus: an abnormal particle, usually a blood
clot, that is carried along in the circulation until it lodges in a narrower
part of the vessel causing an obstruction.
Embryo: the first six to eight weeks of development of a fetus.
Emesis: vomiting.
Emetic: substance to cause vomiting.
Emollient: fats and oils, such as lanolin and liquid paraffin, that
soothe and soften the skin.
Emphysema: lung disease in which the alveoli gradually lose the ability to
exchange oxygen from the air for waste gases in the bloodstream.
Empiric: based on experience.
Empyema: collection of pus.
Emulsify: turn into an emulsion.
Emulsion: suspension of one liquid in another.
Enanthema: eruption on a mucous surface.
Encephalitis: brain inflammation.
Encephalomyelitis: an acute inflammation of the brain and spinal
cord.
Encephalopathy: progressive, degenerative brain disease.
Endemic: a chronic incidence of a particular disease in a certain
population or region.
Endocarditis: heart (lining and valve)inflammation.
Endocrine: internal secretion-related.
Endocrine gland: one of the organs in the body that produces
hormones.
Endogenous: without obvious external cause.
Endometrium: the layer of tissue lining the womb.
Endometriosis: a condition where the lining of the womb (endometrium)
develops outside the womb.
Endometrium: the lining of the womb.
Endometriosis: ectopic occurrence of endometrial
tissue, frequently forming cyst containing altered blood.
Endometrium: the tissues lining the uterus
Endorphins: the body's own pain-relieving chemicals, which are produced
in the brain, inhibit the appreciation of pain and give a feeling of euphoria.
Stimulated by hypnosis, as well as sweet fatty foods, exercise and sex. Makes
you feel good!
Endoscope: a flexible, fibreoptic scope.
Endoscopy: internal examination using an endoscope.
Endothelium: lining of heart and blood vessels.
Endotoxic: heat stable toxin-related.
Enema: liquid put into the rectum to clear out the bowel or to
administer drugs.
Energy healing: a form of energy transference that corrects the body's
aura - effective for chronic fatigue syndrome, stroke and cancer patients.
Enteric: pertaining to the intestines.
Enteric coated: coating on tablets.
Enteritis: small intestine inflammation.
Enterocele: a hernia in the
intestine.
Enterocolitis: small and large intestine inflammation.
Enterohepatic: intestine and liver-related.
Enteropathic arthritis/ enteropathic arthropathy: association of
inflammatory bowel and rheumatic disease, e.g. ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease. Deformity and cartilage
destruction are not features of this arthritis.
Enthesis: the junction of tendon or ligament and bone.
Enthesopathy (or enthesitis): any rheumatic disease resulting in
inflammation of entheses; e.g.ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Reiter's disease.
Enuresis: bedwetting.
Enzymes: complex proteins which act as catalysts
in biochemical reactions.
Eosinophil: a type of white blood cell involved in inflammatory,
allergic or anti-parasitic responses. Usually present in the circulation in
very low numbers.
Eosinophilia: increased numbers of eosinophils
circulating in the blood. It occurs in some cases of hodgkin's disease, in asthma, hay fever
and parasitic infections.
Epicanthic fold: a vertical fold of the skin that extends from the upper
eyelid to the side of the nose.
Epicondyle: a projection at the end of a bone.
Epicondylitis: tennis elbow.
Epidemic: an outbreak of a disease that suddenly spreads rapidly.
Epidemiology: the branch of medicine concerned with the study of
incidence prevalence and distribution of disease in the community.
Epidermal: skin-related.
Epigastralgia: upper abdomen pain.
Epigastric: upper abdomen-related.
Epiphyseal: bone growth-related.
Epilepsy: a group of disorders marked by repeated convulsions.
Episiotomy: cut to vulva in childbirth.
Epistaxis: nosebleed.
Epithelial: refers to the cell linings covering most internal and
external surfaces of the body and its organs.
Epithelioma: a skin cancer.
Epithelium: covering of internal and external body surfaces.
Epstein-Barr virus: a common virus which causes glandular fever. Also
associated with Burkitt's Lymphoma.
Ergotism: poisoning (from ergot fungus).
Eructation: belching.
Eruption: breaking out.
Erysipelas: skin infection.
Erythema: skin redness.
Erythema nodosum: red swellings or sores on the lower legs during
flareups of some inflammatory diseases.
Erythrasma: bacterial skin infection.
Erythrocyte: see red blood cell.
Erythroleukaemia: a rare cancer of the blood affecting immature red
blood cells. This is a sub-type of acute myeloid leukaemia.
Erythropoiesis: red cell production.
Erythropoietin: a natural glycoprotein that stimulates red blood cell production.
ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); one of the tests designed to
measure the degree of inflammation.
Essential thrombocythaemia:a
rare condition related to polycythaemia rubra vera characterised by the
production of large numbers of abnormal platelets. Symptoms include haemorrhage,
thrombosis and enlargement of the spleen.
Euphoria: an abnormal sense of well-being.
Eversion: to turn outward or inside out.
Exacerbation: a period when a disease or medical condition gets
worse.
Exanthema: skin rash.
Excipient: inactive part of drug.
Excision: surgical cutting out of tissue.
Excoriation: a scratch mark, linear break in the skin surface.
Excretion: removal of waste.
Exfoliation: shedding of cells.
Exocrine: glands which secrete outwards.
Exogenous: with an external origin.
Exophthalmos: protuding eyes.
Expectorant: a drug that enhances the secretions of sputum by the air
passages.
Expiration: breathing out.
Extra nodal lymphoma: literally "outside the lymph nodes", but
exhibiting the characteristics of lymph node cancer. A term used to describe
the extent and site of disease.
Extracellular: outside cells.
Extracorporeal: outside the body.
Extraction: removal.
Extrapyramidal: part of central nerve system.
Extrarenal: outside the kidney.
Extrasystole: extra heart beat.
Extravasation: escape of blood or fluid into tissue.
Extravascular: outside a vessel.
Exudation: is the discharge of fluid containing cells, pus, and large
amounts of protein from blood vessels.
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