Dictionary of Medical Terms

A hardened area of skin on the foot caused by persistent friction or pressure.

Taking one’s own life.

The tube involved in digestion and extending from the stomach to the anus. Consists of the small intestine and the…

Dark coloring of the skin often seen during pregnancy and at menopause. Also occurs in Addison’s disease.

A dark-topped plug of fatty material in the opening of a hair follicle. The color is the result of exposure…

Ejecting the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

A mild childhood disease that causes fever and rash. Although rubella is mild in childhood, it’s dangerous to pregnant women…

Inability to move parts of the body.

A serious infectious respiratory disease of children. Named for the distinctive whooping sound made by the patient after a coughing…

A small, hard, abnormal growth of the skin or mucous membranes caused by a virus.

An enlarged vein inside or just outside the rectum.

A large endocrine gland located in the front and sides of the neck and below the Adam’s apple. Essential for…

An injury of the neck or spine due to a sudden, severe bending of the neck.

A pimple or small itchy elevation of the skin caused by an allergen.

An abnormal condition that allows urine to flow from the bladder back into a ureter.

The larger of the two bones of the forearm.

Beneath the dura mater, the covering of the brain.

Fever and skin reaction caused by certain strains of streptococcus bacteria, usually following a streptococcal infection of the throat, middle…

One of the antigens present on red blood cells. Used in categorizing the type of blood a person has.

A circulation disorder characterized by changes of blood flow, resulting in the hands and feet becoming pale, followed by redness…

A rare inherited disorder. Causes an inability to metabolize phenylalanine, an amino acid that’s a common part of many proteins…