How’s your Greek and Latin?
Years ago a physician friend of mine had a 13 year old female patient who presented with lower right abdominal discomfort. Appendicitis was ruled out and the diagnosis was Mittelschmerz. This simply is the name for the discomfort that can occur during the middle of the menstrual cycle.
It should come as no surprise that there is even a more complex medical term associated with this. The doctor reassured the patient that she believed that the discomfort was real. She shared the medical term and let her know that this condition wasn't worrisome. She also told her that while the discomfort would likely ease in a day or so, It could repeat monthly.
The young girl felt very validated that there really was something going on. She went back to school and proudly told her friends that she had a ‘ruptured Graafian Follicle’.
They all oohed and aahed and offered her sympathy.
What is a ruptured Graafian follicle? It is another term for ovulation.
This particular patient was delighted to have an impressive diagnosis.
How many of you remember being back in grade school and kids would tease each other… Uh oh, your epidermis is showing. Many kids would be upset until they figured out that the epidermis is simply the outer layer of the skin. It is notable how most of us are unfamiliar with the official names of our own body parts and functions.
I made a game with my kids when they were young. I would toss out a word and they had to decide if it was real or made up.
Uvula? Yep thats real (it is the little fleshing extension that hangs down in the back of your throat)
Flamichulum? Made up
I got a huge kick out of a video that Lauren recently sent of my 2&1/2 year old grandson Elliot trying to say “Medial Malleolus” after he calmed down from bumping his (ouch!)
The malleolus is the little bone that sticks out from the ankle). Hearing him trying to pronounce it? That was the cutest thing ever!
I actually enjoy looking at language and figuring out the roots.
Many of them are used quite commonly:
Natal: from Latin to be born
Prenatal means before birth
Postnatal means after birth
It is interesting to note that Natal is referring to the baby
Partum: childbirth
Postpartum refers to after childbirth
This refers to the mother as opposed to the baby
Itis refers to inflammation. Common examples:
Tonsillitis: inflammation of tonsils
Pharyngitis: inflammation of throat
Sinusitis: inflammation of sinuses
Otitis : inflammation of ears
Dermatitis: inflammation of the skin
Here is a silly tiktok video I did once upon a time.
RRHEA: refers to flow or discharge. Common examples:
Diarrhea (really?)
Rhinorrhea (runny nose)
"A" in front of a word often means without:
Afebrile: without fever
Asymptomatic: without symptoms
Asymmetrical: Not symmetrical or even
Atypical: Not standard or typical
Acute: Not cute. Just kidding...
Pathy: This comes from the Greek word ‘pathos’ which means suffering or disease:
Naturopathic: a system of treating disease naturally
Idiopathic: a disease of unknown cause (the ideo is NOT from idiot, which was what I was guessing; instead it stems from the ancient Greek Idios, meaning one’s own.)
So, with an idiopathic illness there is no external cause.
Oma: a growth or tumor
Not all ‘omas’ are dangerous. For instance a lipoma is an overgrowth of fat cells. Annoying but usually nothing to worry about.
Here are some common terms related to medication instructions. If your doctor tells you to take a medication PO BID, it is important to know what they are telling you to do.
PO (per os) Oral or by mouth
NPO (nil per os) Nothing by Mouth
PR (per rectum) suppository
QD (quaque die) daily
BID (bis in die) twice daily
TID (ter in die) three times a day
QID (quater in die) four times a day
QHS (quaque hora somni) nightly
A.C. (ante cibum) before meal
PRN (pro re nata) as needed
It's all well and good to have fun figuring out all of these terms, but when you are tired and worried a complicated word that you have never hear of can stress the *&^% out of you!
For instance if your doctor tells you that your baby has Infant Dyschezia, take a deep breath. This is also known as grunting baby syndrome. The infant appears to have difficulty pooping, but they have no signs of constipation. You know, they grunt and groan as if they are about to pass a football and then you have a giant, soft poop.
This usually improves as their muscle coordination improves (8 months or so).
My biggest message is that it is perfectly fine NOT to know all of the medical terms that you come across. Here is the key: Always ask if there is something you don’t know.
Nurse Judy Post: There is no such thing as a silly questions
No comments:
Post a Comment