Dictionary of Medical Terms

Paralysis (loss of feeling or movement) of one side of the body.

A disorder of iron metabolism characterized by excessive amounts of iron in the skin, liver and other tissues.

The oxygen-carrying molecule in red blood cells.

The destruction of red blood cells.

An inherited disorder, nearly always in males, in which one of the normal blood-clotting factors is deficient.

A cough that produces blood.

Severe bleeding, usually from damage to a blood vessel.

An enlarged vein inside or just outside the rectum.

Control of bleeding.

Having to do with the liver.

Inflammation or infection of the liver.

Transmission of genetic traits from parents to children.

A person with both male and female sex organs.

An abnormal protrusion of part of an organ through an abnormal opening.

A recurring viral skin infection characterized by clusters of small blisters. Typically, sores are located near the mouth (fever blisters…

Having to do with the opposite sex.

A detergent that kills germs.

A sudden, involuntary spasm of the diaphragm. The sound of hiccups is caused by the sudden intake of air.

Inflammation of the sweat glands.

The part of the body surrounding the joint between the femur and pelvic bones.

Excessive hair growth, usually on the face and chest. Often caused by an imbalance in hormones.