Glossary of Medical and Health Terms. List A & B

Abortion

Deliberate termination of a pregnancy accompanied by or resulting in death of the embryo or fetus.

Acromegaly

A condition that occurs when the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone. In adults, this can cause overgrowth of bones that occurs in smaller bones, such as those in the jaw, hands and feet. In children or teenagers, this can cause giantism.

Acne

Acne is the name for those red bumps called pimples that a lot of teens and adults get on their skin. When the oil glands on the skin make too much oil, the tiny holes on your skin called pores get stopped up with oil, dead skin and bacteria. The skin around these clogged pores can swell and look lumpy or red.

ADHD

ADHD is the abbreviation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. People who have ADHD find it difficult to pay attention and are hyperactive, which means they might have trouble sitting still.

Afterbirth

The placenta, which is attached to the fetus by the umbilical cord and must be delivered after the baby

Amnesia

Partial or total loss of memory, usually as the result of psychological trauma or stress, or physical damage to the brain from injury, disease or alcohol or other chronic drug abuse

Allergy

Many things can trigger allergies, like pollen, certain animals, foods or a bee sting. Allergies can cause runny eyes and nose, itchy and bumpy skin, soreness in throat and ears and abdominal pain

Asthma

a chronic lung disorder that is marked by recurring episodes of airway obstruction (as from bronchospasm) manifested by labored breathing accompanied especially by wheezing and coughing and by a sense of constriction in the chest

Anemia

A decreased ability of the blood to carry oxygen because of a reduction in either the number or quality of the red blood cells

Angina pectoris

Chest pain caused by decreased oxygen delivery to the heart muscle, also known as angina

Appendix

A finger-like appendage near the junction of the large intestine and the small intestine

Asbestos

A fibrous material used to make fireproof materials, electrical insulation, roofing and filters. Asbestos has been linked to a type of lung cancer and is very deadly

Atherosclerosis

A form of arteriosclerosis caused by fatty deposits in the arteries

Arthritis

inflammation of joints due to old age or any other reason related to joints. In arthiritis the joints of the bones get painful, swollen and stiff. People with arthritis may find it painful to move their joints. Arthritis occurs when a person has lost some of the flexible cushion between the bones called cartilage.

Bacteria

Single-celled microorganisms with one of three basic shapes: rod-like (bacilli), spherical (cocci) and spiral (spirilla). Bacteria are commonly thought of as disease-causing agents. Many bacteria are beneficial and don't cause diseases

Bladder

The organ that temporarily stores a substance. Commonly used in reference to the urinary bladder, which holds urine until it's eliminated

Blood

The fluid circulating through the heart, arteries and veins. Blood is responsible for transporting oxygen to body tissues, carrying waste products away from the tissues and delivering a wide variety of biochemical substances throughout the body

Bradycardia

The fluid circulating through the heart, arteries and veins. Blood is responsible for transporting oxygen to body tissues, carrying waste products away from the tissues and delivering a wide variety of biochemical substances through out the body