Abortifacient: is a substance that induces abortion.
Activated Charcoal: Activated charcoal is a fine black odorless and tasteless powder made from wood or other materials that have been exposed to very high temperatures in an airless environment. It is then treated, or activated, to increase its ability to adsorb various substances by reheating with oxidizing gas or other chemicals to break it into a very fine powder. Activated charcoal is pure carbon specially processed to make it highly adsorbent of particles and gases in the body’s digestive system.
Adaptogen: Substance that improves the body’s ability to adapt to stress.
Allantoin: a chemical compound (5-ureidohydantoin), C4H6N4O3, that occurs as a white crystallizable substance found in many plants and in the allantoic and amniotic fluids and fetal urine of primates. It is also present in the urine of mammals other than primates as a product of purine metabolism. The substance, which can be produced synthetically by the oxidation of uric acid, was once used to promote tissue growth in the treatment of suppurating wounds and ulcers.
Analgesic: A pain-relieving medicine.
Anabolic Steroid: Any of a group of synthetic derivatives of testosterone having pronounced anabolic properties and relatively weak androgenic properties; they are used clinically mainly to promote growth and repair of body tissues in diseases or states promoting catabolism or tissue wasting.
Anesthetic: An agent that reversibly depresses neuronal function, producing total or partial loss of sensation.
Anodyne: A pain-relieving medicine, milder than analgesic.
Anthelmintic: An agent that destroys or causes the expulsion of parasitic intestinal worms. Also called helminthagogue, helminthic, vermifuge.
Anti-Allergenic: Reducing or relieving allergies.
Anti-Aphrodisiac: Suppressing sexual desire.
Antibiotic: An agent that inhibits the growth or multiplication of, or kills, a living organism; used in reference to bacteria or other microorganisms.
Anticancer: a medicine or substance used to treat cancer.
Anticonvulsant: Reducing or relieving convulsions or cramps.
Anticoagulant: A substance that prevents the clotting of blood
Antidiabetic: An agent that prevents or relieves symptoms of diabetes.
Antidiuretic: An agent that reduces the output of urine.
Antidote: An agent used to neutralize or counteract the effects of a poison.
Antifertility: Capable of reducing or eliminating fertility; contraceptive.
Antifungal: An agent that inhibits the growth or multiplication of fungi, or kills them.
Antihistamine: Any of several drugs used to counteract the physiological effects of histamine.
Antihistaminic: Neutralizing the effect or inhibiting production of histamine.
Anti-Inflammatory: Reducing or neutralizing inflammation.
Antimicrobial: An agent that inhibits the growth or multiplication of microorganisms, or kills them.
Antioxidant: Preventing oxidation; a preservative.
Antipyretic: An agent that reduces or prevents fever.
Antiscorbutic: An agent effective against scurvy.
Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay, and putrefaction; also, an agent that kills germs and microbes.
Antispasmodic: Preventing or relieving spasms or cramps.
Antitumor: Preventing or effective against tumors (cancers).
Antitussive: Preventing or relieving cough.
Antiviral: An agent that inhibits growth or multiplication or viruses, or kills them.
Aphrodisiac: Increasing or exciting sexual desire.
Astringent: An agent that causes tissue to contract.
Bactericidal: An agent that kills bacteria.
Calmative: An agent with mild sedative or calming effects.
Cardioactive: Affecting the heart.
Carminative: An agent that relieves and removes gas from the digestive system.
Cathartic: A powerful purgative or laxative, causing severe evacuation, with or without pain.
Cholagogue: An agent that increases bile flow to the intestines.
Choleretic: An agent, usually a drug, that stimulates the liver to increase output of bile.
Cholinergic: An agent that mimics the action of acetylcholine relating to nerve cells or fibers that employ acetylcholine as their neurotransmitter.
Cortisone: A naturally occurring corticosteroid that functions primarily in carbohydrate metabolism and is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, adrenal insufficiency, certain allergies, and gout, used as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant and for replacement therapy in adrenocortical insufficiency.
Counterirritant: An agent that produces inflammation or irritation when applied locally to affect another, usually irritated surface to stimulate circulation. (Mustard plaster or liniment)
Cytotoxic: An agent that is toxic to certain organs, tissues, or cells.
Cytotoxicity: A description of the extent of the destructive or killing capacity of an agent. Most often used to describe the character of immune activity or toxicity of certain drugs that limit the development of cancer cells.
Demulcent: An oily agent that is locally soothing and softening used for reducing irritation of surfaces that have been abraded or irritated, a counterirritant or balm.
Deodorant: An agent that masks, suppresses, or neutralizes odors, especially a cosmetic applied to the skin to mask body odors.
Detoxicant: A detoxicating agent.
Diaphoretic: An agent that induces sweating.
Digestive: An agent that promotes digestion.
Diuretic: An agent that induces urination.
Emetic: An agent that induces vomiting.
Emmenagogue: An agent or measure that induces menstruation.
Emollient: An agent that softens and soothes the skin when applied locally.
Estrogenic: A substance that induces female hormonal activity.
Expectorant: An agent that induces the removal (coughing-up) of mucous secretions from the lungs.
Febrifuge: A medicine used to reduce fever.
Fungicidal: An agent that kills fungi.
Hallucinogen: A drug that distorts sensory perceptions and disturbs emotion, judgment, and memory.
Hematinic: An agent that increases the hemoglobin level and the number of erythrocytes in the blood. Acting to improve the quality of blood, as by increasing hemoglobin concentration or stimulating red blood cell formation.
Hemostatic: An agent that checks bleeding. Hemostat stops bleeding.
Hemeopathic: A Substance that produces a set of symptoms in a well person will, in minute, “potentized” doses, cure those same symptoms in a diseased individual.
Hoxsey Treatment: Hoxsey Method is a alternative medical treatment promoted as a cure for cancer. The treatment consists of a caustic herbal paste for external cancers or an herbal mixture for “internal” cancers, combined with laxatives, douches, vitamin supplements, and dietary changes.
Hypertensive: Causing or marking a rise in blood pressure.
Hypoglycemic: Causing a lowering of blood sugar.
Hypotensive: Causing or marking a lowering of blood pressure.
Immunostimulant: Stimulating various functions or activities of the immune system.
Ipecac: Ipecac is a medicine commonly used to induce vomiting in cases of accidental poisoning. It is also a homeopathic remedy.
Ipecac should never be used to induce vomiting if the poison is one of the following: Strychnine, Alkalis (lye), Strong acids, Kerosene, Fuel oil, Gasoline, Coal oil, Paint thinner, Cleaning fluid
Laxative: A food or drug that stimulates evacuation of the bowels. Mildly Cathartic. A mild Purgative.
Lipolytic: Pertaining to the chemical breakdown of fat.
Mitogenic: An agent that affects cell division.
Moxabustion: The stimulation of an acupoint by the burning of a cone or cylinder of moxa placed at or near the point.
Mucilaginous: Pertaining to, resembling, or containing mucilage; slimy.
Narcotic: A drug derived from opium or compounds similar to opium. Such drugs are potent pain relievers and can affect mood and behavior. Long-term use of narcotics can lead to dependence and tolerance. Pertaining to or producing narcosis; An agent that produces insensibility or stupor, especially an opioid.
Nervine: An agent that affects, strengthens, or calms the nerves.
Nicotine: A very poisonous alkaloid that in its pure state is a colorless, pungent, oily liquid, having an acrid burning taste. It is a constituent of tobacco, and is also produced synthetically. It is administered orally, intranasally, or by inhalation as an aid to smoking cessation. In water solution, it is sometimes used as an insecticide and plant spray.
Panacea: A remedy claimed to be curative of all problems or disorders; a cure-all.
Purgative: An agent that causes cleansing or water evacuation of the bowels, usually with griping (painful cramps).
Refrigerant: A substance, such as air, ammonia, water, or carbon dioxide, used to provide cooling either as the working substance of a refrigerator or by direct absorption of heat. An agent used to reduce fever.
Rubefacient: An agent that causes reddening or irritation when applied to the skin.
Saponin: Aglycoside compound common in plants, which, when shaken with water, has a foaming or “soapy” action.
Sedative: An agent or a drug that produces a soothing, calming, or tranquilizing effect.
Sialogogue: A medication given to increase the flow of saliva.
Spasmolytic: Checking spasms or cramps.
Steroid: Any of a group of lipids with a specific 7-carbon-atom ring system as a nucleus, such as progesterone, adrenocortical and gonadal hormones, bile acids, sterols, toad poisons, and some carcinogenic hydrocarbons.
Stimulant: An agent that causes increased activity of another agent, cell, tissue, organ, or organism.
Stomachic: An agent that improves appetite and digestion.
Styptic: Checking bleeding by contracting blood vessels.
Teratogen: A substance that can cause the deformity of a fetus.
Tranquilizer: Any of various drugs used to reduce tension or anxiety; an anti-anxiety agent.
Tuberculoststic: Arresting the tubercle bacillus (the “germ responsible for causing tuberculosis”)
Uterotonic: Having a positive effect of an unspecified nature on the uterus.
Vasoconstrictor: An agent that causes blood vessels to constrict.
Vasodilator: An agent that causes blood vessels to dilate.
Vermicidal: Having worm-killing properties; an agent that kills worms, a vermifuge.
Vermifuge: Dewormer
Vulnerary: An agent used for healing wounds.
Ailments/Symptoms:
Abrasion: Rubbed or scraped area on skin.
Abscess: An enclosed collection of liquefied tissue, known as pus, a result of the body’s defensive reaction to foreign material.
Ache: A dull persistent pain.
Acne: A common skin disease characterized by pimples on the face, chest, and back. It occurs when the pores of the skin become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria.
Ague: A chill or shivering.
AIDS: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is an infectious disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Allergies: Abnormal reactions of the immune system that occur in response to otherwise harmless substances. Allergens enter the body through four main routes: the airways, the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, and the circulatory system.
Alopecia: Hair Loss.
Alzheimer’s Disease: A common form of dementia.
Amenorrhea: Absence of menstruation.
Anemia: A reduction below normal of the number of erythrocytes, quantity of hemoglobin, or the volume of packed red cells in the blood; a symptom of various diseases and disorders.
Angina: Pressure in Chest.
Anorexia: A Loss of appetite, especially as a result of disease.
Anxiety: A multi-system response to a perceived threat or danger.
Arrhythmia: An irregularity in the force or rhythm of the heartbeat.
Arteriosclerosis: Any of a group of chronic diseases in which thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls resulting in impaired blood circulation.
Arthralgia: Sharp, severe pain, extending along a nerve or group of nerves, experienced in a joint and/or joints.
Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness, resulting from infection, trauma, degenerative changes, metabolic disturbances, or other causes.
Asthma: A chronic (long-lasting) inflammatory disease of the airways.
Athlete’s foot: A malodorous dermatophytosis affecting moist, warm toe webs and soles of feet causing maceration, flaking, peeling, erosion, and pruritus. Risk factors Poor hygiene, occlusive footwear, prolonged moisture of skin, minor skin or nail injuries; tinea infections are contagious, and can be passed through direct contact, or contact with items such as shoes, stockings, and shower or pool surfaces
Atony: lack of normal tone or strength; flaccidity.
Backache: Discomfort or a pain in the region of the back or spine.
Bedsore: tender or inflamed patches develop when skin covering a weight-bearing part of the body is squeezed between bone and another body part, or a bed, chair, splint, or other hard object. Also called decubitus ulcers, pressure ulcers, or pressure sores
Bedwetting: see Enuresis.
Bee Sting: an injury caused by the venom of bees, usually accompanied by pain and swelling.
Bite: A puncture or laceration of the skin by the teeth of an animal or the mouthparts of an insect or similar organism.
Blackhead: A plug of keratin and sebum within a hair follicle that is blackened at the surface
Bleeding: The escape of blood, as from an injured vessel.
Blindness: lack or loss of ability to see; lack of perception of visual stimuli.
Blister: A local swelling of the skin that contains watery fluid and is caused by burning, infection, or irritation.
Bloating: see Distention.
Boil: A bacterial infection of hair follicles and surrounding skin that form pustules (small blister-like swellings containing pus) around the follicle. Boils are sometimes called furuncles.
Bronchitis: Bronchitis is an inflammation of the air passages between the nose and the lungs, including the windpipe or trachea and the larger air tubes of the lung that bring air in from the trachea (bronchi).
Bruise: An injury to underlying tissues or bone in which the skin is unbroken, often characterized by ruptured blood vessels and discolorations; a contusion.
Bunion: A bunion is an abnormal enlargement of the joint at the base of the great or big toe. It is caused by inflammation and usually results from chronic irritation and pressure from poorly fitting footwear.
Burn: An injury to tissues caused by the contact with heat, flame, chemicals, electricity, or radiation. First degree burns show redness; second degree burns show blisters; third degree burns show necrosis through the entire skin.
Bursitis: The painful inflammation of the bursa, a pad-like sac found in areas subject to friction.
Calculus: an abnormal concretion, usually composed of mineral salts, occurring within the animal body.
Cancer: Cancer is not just one disease, but a large group of almost 100 diseases. Its two main characteristics are uncontrolled growth of the cells in the human body and the ability of these cells to migrate from the original site and spread to distant sites.
Candida: A genus of the pathogenic yeastlike fungi.
Canker Sore: A small painful ulcer of the mucous membrane of the mouth; an aphtha.
Carbuncle: A deep-seated pyogenic infection of several contiguous hair follicles, with formation of connecting sinuses, often preceded or accompanied by fever, malaise, and prostration. See anthrax.
Carcinoma: A malignant new growth made up of epithelial cells tending to infiltrate surrounding tissues and to give rise to metastases.
Carcinosarcoma: a malignant tumor composed of carcinomatous and sarcomatous tissues.
Carditis: Inflammation of the muscle tissue of the heart. Also called myocarditis.
Cataracts: A cataract is a cloudiness or opacity in the normally transparent crystalline lens of the eye. This cloudiness can cause a decrease in vision and may lead to eventual blindness.
Catarrh: Inflammation of mucous membranes, especially of the nose and throat.
Chafing: Superficial irritation of the skin by friction.
Chapped: Having or relating to skin that is dry, scaly, and fissured, owing to excessive evaporation of moisture from the skin surface.
Chicken Pox: Also called varicella, is a common and extremely infectious childhood disease that also affects adults on occasion. It produces an itchy, blistery rash that typically lasts about a week and is sometimes accompanied by a fever or other symptoms.
Chilblains: A recurrent localized itching, swelling, and painful erythema of the fingers, toes, or ears, caused by mild frostbite and dampness.
Chills: A feeling of cold, with shivering and pallor, sometimes accompanied by an elevation of temperature in the interior of the body.
Cholera: Cholera is an acute infectious disease characterized by watery diarrhea that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The name of the disease comes from a Greek word meaning “flow of bile.” Cholera is spread by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the bacterium. Cholera is still the most feared epidemic diarrheal disease because people can die within hours of infection from dehydration due to the loss of water from the body through the bowels.
Chorea: Irregular, spasmodic, involuntary movements of the limbs or facial muscles.
Cirrhosis: A chronic degenerative disease in which normal liver cells are damaged and are then replaced by scar tissue.
Colds: A viral infection characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the upper respiratory passages and usually accompanied by malaise, fever, chills, coughing, and sneezing.
Colic: Colic is persistent, unexplained crying in a healthy baby between two weeks and five months of age.
Coma: Meaning deep sleep, is a state of extreme unresponsiveness, in which an individual exhibits no voluntary movement or behavior.
Congestion: The presence of an abnormal amount of fluid in a vessel or organ; especially excessive accumulation of blood, due either to increased afflux or to obstruction of return flow.
Congestive Heart Failure: (CHF) that characterized by breathlessness and abnormal sodium and water retention, resulting in edema, with congestion of the lungs or peripheral circulation, or both.
Conjunctivitis: is an inflammation or redness of the lining of the white part of the eye and the underside of the eyelid (conjunctiva) that can be caused by infection, allergic reaction, or physical agents like infrared or ultraviolet light.
Constipation: Constipation is an acute or chronic condition in which bowel movements occur less often than usual or consist of hard, dry stools that are painful or difficult to pass. Bowel habits vary, but an adult who has not had a bowel movement in three days or a child who has not had a bowel movement in four days is considered constipated.
Contraceptive: A device, drug, or chemical agent that prevents conception.
Contusions: see Bruise.
Convalescence: the stage of recovery from an illness, operation, or injury.
Convulsions: Also termed seizures; a sudden violent contraction of a group of muscles.
Corns: A horny induration and thickening of the stratum corneum of the epidermis, caused by friction and pressure and forming a conical mass pointing down into the dermis, producing pain and irritation.
Coronary: Encircling like a crown; applied to vessels, ligaments, etc., especially to the arteries of the heart, and to pathologic involvement of them.
Cough: A forceful release of air from the lungs that can be heard. Coughing protects the respiratory system by clearing it of irritants and secretions.
Cross Eye: Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes do not point in the same direction. It can also be referred to as a tropia or squint.
Croup: A common childhood ailment. Typically, it arises from a viral infection of the larynx (voice box) and is associated with mild upper respiratory symptoms such as a runny nose and cough. The key symptom is a harsh barking cough. Croup is usually not serious and most children recover within a few days. In a small percentage of cases, a child develops breathing difficulties and may need medical attention.
Cut: Separation of skin or other tissue made by a sharp edge, producing regular edges.
Cystitis: Inflammation of the urinary bladder.
Cysts: An abnormal closed epithelium-lined cavity in the body, containing liquid or semisolid material.
A stage in the life cycle of certain parasites, during which they are enveloped in a protective wall.
Dandruff: A scaly scurf formed on and shed from the scalp.
Deafness: Lack or loss, complete or partial, of the sense of hearing.
Debility: The state of being weak or feeble; infirmity.
Delirium: Delirium is a state of mental confusion that develops quickly and usually fluctuates in intensity.
Dengue Fever: A disease caused by one of a number of viruses that are carried by mosquitoes.
Depression: A mental state of altered mood characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, and discouragement.
Dermatitis: A general term used to describe inflammation of the skin.
Despondency: Depression of spirits from loss of hope, confidence, or courage; dejection.
Diabetes: Any of several metabolic disorders marked by excessive discharge of urine and persistent thirst, especially one of the two types of diabetes mellitus.
Diarrhea: Excessive and frequent evacuation of watery feces, usually indicating gastrointestinal distress or disorder.
Digestion: The process by which food is converted into substances that can be absorbed and assimilated by the body. It is accomplished in the alimentary canal by the mechanical and enzymatic breakdown of foods into simpler chemical compounds.
Distention: The state of being distended, or stretched out or enlarged; the act of distending. Bloating.
Diverticulitis: Inflammation of a diverticulum or of diverticula in the intestinal tract, usually causing fecal stagnation, abdominal pain and fever.
Dizziness: see Vertigo
Dropsy: An abnormal accumulation of serous fluid in a body cavity or in the cellular tissues; called also hydrops, edema. See also edema.
Drowsiness: A state of impaired awareness associated with a desire or inclination to sleep. Also called hypnesthesia.
Dry Mouth: Known medically as xerostomia, is the abnormal reduction of saliva due to medication, disease, or medical therapy.
Dysentery: A general term for a group of gastrointestinal disorders characterized by inflammation of the intestines, particularly the colon. Characteristic features include abdominal pain and cramps, straining at stool (tenesmus), and frequent passage of watery diarrhea or stools containing blood and mucus.
Dysmenorrhea: The occurrence of painful cramps during menstruation.
Dyspepsia: Defined as painful, difficult, or disturbed digestion, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, heartburn, bloating, and stomach discomfort. Indigestion.
Dyspnea: Labored or difficult breathing.
Dysuria: Painful or difficult urination.
Earache: Pain in the ear; otalgia.
Eczema: An acute or chronic noncontagious inflammation of the skin, characterized chiefly by redness, itching, and the outbreak of lesions that may discharge serous matter and become encrusted and scaly.
Edema: A condition of abnormally large fluid volume in the circulatory system or in tissues between the body’s cells (interstitial spaces).
Emphysema: Emphysema is a chronic respiratory disease where there is over-inflation of the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs, causing a decrease in lung function, and often, breathlessness.
Enteritis: Inflammation of the intestine, especially of the small intestine.
Enterorrhagia: Bleeding within the intestinal tract.
Enuresis: The uncontrolled or involuntary discharge of urine.
Epilepsy: Any of a group of syndromes characterized by paroxysmal transient disturbances of brain function that may be manifested as episodic impairment or loss of consciousness, abnormal motor phenomena, psychic or sensory disturbances, or perturbation of the autonomic nervous system; symptoms are due to disturbance of the electrical activity of the brain.
Epistaxis: A nosebleed.
Eruptions: An appearance of a rash or blemish on the skin, or the emergence of a tooth through the gums.
Erysipelas: A skin infection that often follows strep throat.
Fainting: Fainting is loss of consciousness caused by a temporary lack of oxygen to the brain. Known by the medical term “syncope,” fainting may be preceded by dizziness, nausea, or a feeling of extreme weakness.
Fatality: A death resulting from an accident or disaster.
Fatigue: Physical and/or mental exhaustion that can be triggered by stress, medication, overwork, or mental and physical illness or disease.
Fear: A feeling of agitation and dread caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
Felon: A purulent infection or abscess involving the bulbous distal end of a finger.
Fertility: The state of being fertile, especially the ability to produce young.
Fever: A fever is any body temperature elevation over 100 °F. (37.8 °C).
Fistula: An abnormal duct or passage resulting from injury, disease, or a congenital disorder that connects an abscess, cavity, or hollow organ to the body surface or to another hollow organ.
Fits: A seizure or a convulsion, especially one caused by epilepsy; The sudden appearance of a symptom such as coughing or sneezing.
Flatulence: Fart, see Carminative
Flu: Influenza, or any viral infection, especially of the respiratory or intestinal system.
Flukes: Parasite worms that look like leeches. They usually have one or more suckers for attaching to the digestive mucosa of the host. Liver flukes infest the liver, destroying liver tissue and impairing bile production and drainage.
Forgetfulness: Causing one to be unable to remember.
Fractures: A complete or incomplete break in a bone resulting from the application of excessive force.
Freckles: Ephilides Brown macules, often exacerbated on sun-exposed zones of the skin surface, which disappear during the winter, and most commonly affecting the fair-skinned, especially of Celtic stock.
Frostbite: Injury or destruction of skin and underlying tissue, most often that of the nose, ears, fingers, or toes, resulting from prolonged exposure to freezing or subfreezing temperatures.
Fungus: Any of numerous eukaryotic organisms that reproduce by spores. The spores of most fungi grow a network of slender tubes called hyphae that spread into and feed off of dead organic matter or living organisms. The hyphae often produce specialized reproductive bodies, such as mushrooms.
Furuncles: A boil; a painful nodule formed in the skin by circumscribed inflammation of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, enclosing a central slough or “core”; due to staphylococci entering the skin through hair follicles.
Gall: Bile; A skin sore caused by friction and abrasion; To become irritated, chafed, or sore.
Gall Stones: Pieces of solid material comprised of numerous inorganic and organic substances, including bile salts, electrolytes, bilirubin, fatty acids, water, and cholesterol that develop within the gallbladder and can potentially obstruct the flow of bile and digestive enzymes. Age, diet, race, gender, obesity, gastrointestinal diseases, and certain drugs can increase the risk of development.
Gangrene: The term used to describe the decay or death of an organ or tissue caused by a lack of blood supply. It is a complication resulting from infectious or inflammatory processes, injury, or degenerative changes associated with chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus.
Gas: see Carminative.
Gastritis: Inflammation of the lining of the stomach, but the term is often used to cover a variety of symptoms resulting from stomach lining inflammation and symptoms of burning or discomfort. (Gastrosis)
Gingivitis: Inflammation of the gums, characterized by redness and swelling.
Glaucoma: Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by damage to the optic nerve usually due to excessively high intraocular pressure (IOP). This increased pressure within the eye, if untreated can lead to optic nerve damage resulting in progressive, permanent vision loss, starting with unnoticeable blind spots at the edges of the field of vision, progressing to tunnel vision, and then to blindness.
Gleet: Inflammation of the urethra resulting from chronic gonorrhea and characterized by a mucopurulent discharge.
Glossitis: Inflammation of the tongue.
Goiter: Any visible enlargement of the thyroid gland.
Gonorrhea: A highly contagious sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Painful urination, itching, discharge from genitals.
Gout: Gout is a form of acute arthritis that causes severe pain and swelling in the joints. It most commonly affects the big toe, but may also affect the heel, ankle, hand, wrist, or elbow. It affects the spine often enough to be a factor in back pain. Gout usually comes on suddenly, goes away after 5-10 days, and can keep recurring. Gout is different from other forms of arthritis because it occurs when there are high levels of uric acid circulating in the blood, which can cause urate crystals to settle in the tissues of the joints.
Grave’s Disease: is a thyroid disorder characterized by goiter, exophthalmos, “orange-peel” skin, and hyperthyroidism. It is caused by an antibody-mediated auto-immune reaction, but the trigger for this reaction is still unknown. It is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the world, and the most common cause of general thyroid enlargement in developed countries.
Gravel: Sandlike concretions of uric acid, calcium oxalate, and mineral salts formed in the passages of the biliary and urinary tracts. (Kidney Stones)
Griping: A grasping or seizing. (Intestinal cramp)
Grippe: see Influenza.
Hallucination: A sense perception (sight, touch, sound, smell, or taste) that has no basis in external stimulation.
Head Cold: A common cold mainly affecting the mucous membranes of the nasal passages, characterized by congestion, headache, and sneezing.
Headache: A headache involves pain in the head which can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself.
Heartburn: A burning sensation in the chest that can extend to the neck, throat, and face; it is worsened by bending or lying down. It is the primary symptom of gastroesophageal reflux, which is the movement of stomach acid into the esophagus. On rare occasions, it is due to gastritis (stomach lining inflammation).
Heat: The sensation or perception of such energy as warmth or hotness; An abnormally high bodily temperature, as from a fever; Estrus.
Hematemesis: Vomiting of Blood.
Hematuria: Blood in urine.
Hemiplegia: Stroke, partial paralysis.
Hemorrhage: An escape of blood from the blood vessels, especially when excessive.
Hemorrhoids: see Piles. Prolapse of an anal cushion, resulting in bleeding and painful swelling in the anal canal.
Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver.
Herpes: Any inflammatory skin disease marked by the formation of small vesicles in clusters; the term is usually restricted to such diseases caused by herpesviruses
Hiccough: Spasmodic involuntary contraction of the diaphragm that results in uncontrolled breathing in of air; called also singultus. (Hiccup)
Hives: An allergic skin reaction causing localized redness, swelling, and itching.
Hoarseness: An unnatural condition marked by a deep or rough, harsh, grating voice, indicating an inflammation of the throat and larynx.
Hookworm: Any of numerous small parasitic nematodes of the family Ancylostomatidae having hooked mouthparts with which they fasten themselves to the intestinal walls of various hosts, including humans.
Hyperacidity: Excess acidity of the gastrointestinal tract, esp the stomach, producing a burning sensation.
Hypercholesterolemia: A familial disorder that is characterized by an extremely high concentration of cholesterol in the blood and cells.
Hyperemia: An increase in the quantity of blood flow to a body part; engorgement.
Hyperglycemia: The presence of an abnormally high concentration of glucose in the blood.
Hypertension: Arterial disease in which chronic high blood pressure is the primary symptom; Abnormally elevated blood pressure.
Hyperthermia: Abnormally high body temperature, usually resulting from infection, medication, or head injury, and sometimes brought about intentionally to treat diseases, especially certain cancers.
Hyperthyroidism: An abnormality of the thyroid gland characterized by excessive production of thyroid hormone, which can result in an increased basal metabolic rate, causing weight loss, heart palpitations, and tremors. Compare hypothyroidism.
Hypertrophy: A nontumorous enlargement of an organ or a tissue as a result of an increase in the size rather than the number of constituent cells.
Hypochondria: The conviction that one is or is likely to become ill, often accompanied by physical symptoms, when illness is neither present nor likely.
Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar (or blood glucose) concentrations fall below a level necessary to properly support the body’s need for energy and stability throughout its cells.
Hypothermia: A potentially fatal condition, occurs when body temperature falls below 95°F (35°C).
Hysteria: A feature of hysterical disorders in which a patient experiences physical symptoms that have a psychological, rather than an organic, cause.
Impetigo: Refers to a very localized bacterial infection of the skin. There are two types, bullous and epidemic.
Impotency: Often called erectile dysfunction, is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection long enough to engage in sexual intercourse.
Inappetence: Lack of desire or appetite.
Incontinence: The inability to control excretory functions; Lack of restraint in sexual relations.
Indigestion: see Dyspepsia.
Infection: Invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues, especially that causing local cellular injury due to competitive metabolism, toxins, intracellular replication, or antigen-antibody response; An infectious disease.
Inflammation: A protective tissue response to injury or destruction of tissues, which serves to destroy, dilute, or wall off both the injurious agent and the injured tissues. The classical signs of acute inflammation are pain (dolor), heat (calor), redness (rubor), swelling (tumor), and loss of function (functio laesa).
Influenza: see Flu.
Insanity: Persistent mental disorder or derangement. Not in scientific use; Unsoundness of mind sufficient in the judgment of a civil court to render a person unfit to maintain a contractual or other legal relationship or to warrant commitment to a mental health facility.
Insomnia: Chronic inability to fall asleep or remain asleep for an adequate length of time.
Intestional Amoebas: A genus of ameboid protozoa, most of which are free-living. Those parasitic in humans and once included in this genus have been assigned to other genera.
Intoxication: Stimulation, excitement, or stupefaction caused by a chemical substance, or as if by one. Substance, especially that due to ingestion of alcohol. Poisoning; the state of being poisoned.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common intestinal condition characterized by abdominal pain and cramps; changes in bowel movements (diarrhea, constipation, or both); gassiness; bloating; nausea; and other symptoms. There is no cure for IBS. Much about the condition remains unknown or poorly understood; however, dietary changes, drugs, and psychological treatment are often able to eliminate or substantially reduce its symptoms.
Irritation: Extreme incipient inflammatory reaction of the body tissues to an injury; The normal response of a nerve or muscle to a stimulus; The evocation of a reaction in the body tissues by the application of a stimulus.
Itch: A skin disorder attended with itching.
Jaundice: A condition in which a person’s skin and the whites of the eyes are discolored yellow due to an increased level of bile pigments in the blood resulting from liver disease.
Labor: The function of the female by which the infant is expelled through the vagina to the outside world: the first stage begins with onset of regular uterine contractions and ends when the os is completely dilated and flush with the vagina; the second extends from the end of the first stage until the expulsion of the infant is completed; the third extends from expulsion of the infant until the placenta and membranes are expelled; the fourth denotes the hour or two after delivery, when uterine tone is established.
Lactation: The medical term for yielding of milk by the mammary glands which leads to breastfeeding. Human milk contains the ideal amount of nutrients for the infant, and provides important protection from diseases through the mother’s natural defenses. (Galactagogue)
Laryngitis: Laryngitis is caused by inflammation of the larynx, resulting in hoarseness of the voice.
Lassitude: A state or feeling of weariness, diminished energy, or listlessness.
Leaky Gut Syndrome: Gastrointestinal tract dysfunction caused by antibiotics, toxins, poor diet, parasites or infections, leading to increased intestinal wall permeability and absorption of toxins, bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc; LGS may be linked to allergy and autoimmunity.
Leprosy: A slowly progressing bacterial infection that affects the skin, peripheral nerves in the hands and feet, and mucous membranes of the nose, throat, and eyes. Destruction of the nerve endings causes the affected areas to lose sensation. Occasionally, because of the loss of feeling, the fingers and toes become mutilated and fall off, causing the deformities that are typically associated with the disease.
Lesions: A wound or an injury. A localized pathological change in a bodily organ or tissue. An infected or diseased patch of skin.
Lethargy: A state of sluggishness, inactivity, and apathy. A state of unconsciousness resembling deep sleep.
Leucorrhea: Variant of leukorrhea.
Leukemia: A progressive, malignant disease of the blood-forming organs, marked by distorted proliferation and development of leukocytes and their precursors in the blood and bone marrow.
Libido: Sexual desire.
Lice: A flat wingless parasitic insect, that may be a carrier of pathogens; its plural is lice.
LockJaw: Spasm of the masseter muscles with stiffness of the jaw caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium tetani, which causes an unrestrained muscle firing, and sustained muscular contraction which, if severe, causes dysphagia or acute respiratory insufficiency by causing prolonged diaphragm contraction.
Lumbago: Pain in the lumbar region caused by a muscle strain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or a herniated intervertebral disk. Ischemic lumbago, characterized by pain in the lower back and buttocks, is caused by vascular insufficiency, as in terminal aortic occlusion.
Lunacy: see Insanity.
Lupus: Any of a group of skin diseases in which the lesions are characteristically eroded.
Lymphadenopathy: (Swollen Lymph Nodes) A chronic, abnormal enlargement of the lymph nodes, usually associated with disease.
Madness: see Insanity.
Malaria: Malaria is a serious infectious disease spread by certain mosquitoes. It is most common in tropical climates. It is characterized by recurrent symptoms of chills, fever, and an enlarged spleen. The disease can be treated with medication, but it often recurs. Malaria is endemic (occurs frequently in a particular locality) in many third world countries. Isolated, small outbreaks sometimes occur within the boundaries of the United States.
Mange: Any of several chronic skin diseases of mammals caused by parasitic mites and characterized by skin lesions, itching, and loss of hair.
Mastitis: An infection of the breast. It usually only occurs in women who are breastfeeding their babies. Usually, only one breast is involved. An area of the affected breast becomes swollen, red, hard, and painful crack in the nipple. Other symptoms of mastitis include fever, chills, and increased heart rate.
Measles: An infection caused by a virus, which causes an illness displaying a characteristic skin rash known as an exanthem. The first signs of measles infection are fever, extremely runny nose, red, runny eyes, and a cough. A few days later, a rash appears in the mouth, particularly on the mucous membrane which lines the cheeks. This rash consists of tiny white dots (like grains of salt or sand) on a reddish bump. These are called Koplik’s spots, and are unique to measles infection. The throat becomes red, swollen, and sore.
Melanoma: A tumor arising from the melanocytic system of the skin and other organs.
Menopause: Menopause represents the end of menstruation. While technically it refers to the final period, it is not an abrupt event, but a gradual process. Menopause is not a disease that needs to be cured, but a natural life-stage transition. However, women have to make important decisions about “treatment,” including the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Menstrual Difficulties: see Dysmenorrhea.
Mental Acuity: Acuteness of vision or perception; keenness.
Metrorrhagia: Irregular uterine bleeding.
Migraine: A severe recurring headache, usually affecting only one side of the head, that is characterized by sharp pain and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and visual disturbances.
Miscarriage: Loss of an embryo or fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy. Most miscarriages occur during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. The medical term for miscarriage is spontaneous abortion.
Moles: A small congenital growth on the skin, usually slightly raised and dark and sometimes hairy, especially a pigmented nevus.
Morning Sickness: Nausea of early pregnancy.
Multiple Sclerosis: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting movement, ensation, and bodily functions. It is caused by destruction of the myelin insulation covering nerve fibers (neurons) in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Initial symptoms often include: Muscle weakness, causing difficulty walking. Loss of coordination or balance. Numbness, “pins and needles,” or other abnormal sensations. Visual disturbances, including blurred or double vision.
Mumps: Mumps is a relatively mild short-term viral infection of the salivary glands that usually occurs during childhood. Typically, mumps is characterized by a painful swelling of both cheek areas, although the person could have swelling on one side or no perceivable swelling at all. The salivary glands are also called the parotid glands, therefore, mumps is sometimes referred to as an inflammation of the parotid glands (epidemic parotitis). The word mumps comes from an old English dialect, meaning lumps or bumps within the cheeks.
Myalgia: Muscular pain.
Nausea: A sensation accompanying the urge but not always leading to vomiting. Common causes are seasickness and other motion sicknesses, early pregnancy, intense pain, emotional stress, gallbladder disease, food poisoning, central nervous system tumors, and various enteroviruses.
Nephritis: Nephritis is inflammation of the kidney. Symptoms of glomerulonephritis include fatigue, high blood pressure, and swelling. Swelling is most notable in the hands, feet, ankles and face.
Neuralgia: Defined as an intense burning or stabbing pain caused by irritation of or damage to a nerve. The pain is usually brief but may be severe. It often feels as if it is shooting along the course of the affected nerve.
Neuritis: The inflammation of a nerve or group of nerves that is characterized by pain, loss of reflexes, and atrophy of the affected muscles.
Newcastle Disease: a viral disease of birds, including domestic fowl, transmissible to humans, characterized by respiratory, gastrointestinal or pulmonary, and encephalitic symptoms.
Nicotinism: Nicotine poisoning caused by excessive use of tobacco and characterized by depression of the central and autonomic nervous systems.
Night Sweat: Sweating that occurs with a nocturnal fever, as in a wasting disease like pulmonary tuberculosis.
Nosebleed: Bleeding from the nose; the medical term for it is epistaxis.
Obesity: An abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual’s ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, and death.
Ophthalmia: Severe, often purulent conjunctivitis; Inflammation of the deep eye structures.
Pain: An unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, the subjective interpretation of the discomfort. Perception gives information on the pain’s location, intensity, and something about its nature. The various conscious and unconscious responses to both sensation and perception, including the emotional response, add further definition to the overall concept of pain. (see Analgesic and Anodyne)
Palpitation: A subjective sensation of an unduly rapid or irregular heartbeat.
Palsy: Complete or partial muscle paralysis, often accompanied by loss of sensation and uncontrollable body movements or tremors.
Paralysis: Paralysis is defined as complete loss of strength in an affected limb or muscle group.
Parasympathetic: Of, relating to, or affecting the parasympathetic nervous system.
Parkinson’s Disease: A slowly progressive form of parkinsonism, usually seen late in life, marked by masklike facies, tremor of resting muscles, slowing of voluntary movements, festinating gait, peculiar posture, muscular weakness, and sometimes excessive sweating and feelings of heat.
Peridontitis: Disease of the periodontium characterized by inflammation of the gums, resorption of the alveolar bone, and degeneration of the periodontal membrane.
Parturient: Of or relating to giving birth
Pertussis: (Whooping Cough) an acute, highly contagious respiratory disease characterized by paroxysmal coughing that ends in a loud whooping inspiration. It occurs primarily in infants and in children less than 4 years of age.
Pharyngitis: Sore throat; inflammation of the pharynx.
Phlegm: viscid mucus excreted in abnormally large quantities from the respiratory tract.
Photodermatitis: Dermatitis caused by exposure to ultraviolet light.
Piles: see Hemorrhoids.
Pimples: A small red swelling (a papule or pustule) of the skin, usually caused by acne.
Pinworms: Any of various small nematode worms of the family Oxyuridae that are parasitic on mammals, especially Enterobius vermicularis, a species that infests the human intestines and rectum. Also called seatworm, threadworm.
Placenta: An organ characteristic of true mammals during pregnancy, joining mother and fetus, providing endocrine secretion and selective exchange of soluble bloodborne substances through apposition of uterine and trophoblastic vascularized parts.
Plaque: 1. A small disk-shaped formation or growth; a patch. 2. A deposit of fatty material on the inner lining of an arterial wall, characteristic of atherosclerosis. 3. Dental plaque. 4. A clear, often round patch of lysed cells in an otherwise opaque layer of a bacteria or cell culture. 5. A scaly patch formed on the skin by psoriasis. 6. A sharply defined zone of demyelination characteristic of multiple sclerosis.
Pleurisy: (pleuritis) Pleurisy is an inflammation of the membrane that surrounds and protects the lungs (the pleura). Inflammation occurs when an infection or damaging agent irritates the pleural surface. As a consequence, sharp chest pains are the primary symptom of pleurisy.
Premenstrual Syndrome: (PMS) refers to symptoms that occur between ovulation and the onset of menstruation. The symptoms include both physical symptoms, such as breast tenderness, back pain, abdominal cramps, headache, and changes in appetite, as well as psychological symptoms of anxiety, depression, and unrest. Severe forms of this syndrome are referred to as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). These symptoms may be related to hormones and emotional disorders.
Pneumonia: An infection of the lung that can be caused by nearly any class of organism known to cause human infections. These include bacteria, amoebae, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
Postpartum: Occurring after childbirth, with reference to the mother.
Prolapse: The falling down or slipping out of place of an organ or part, such as the uterus.
Proteolytic: Pertaining to substances that aid in the breakdown and assimilation of proteins.
Prurigo: A chronic skin disease having various causes, marked by the eruption of pale, dome-shaped papules that itch severely.
Psoriasis: Named for the Greek word psōra meaning “itch,” psoriasis is a chronic, non-contagious disease characterized by inflamed lesions covered with silvery-white scabs of dead skin.
Ptomaine Poisoning: Food Poisoning.
Puerperium: The approximate six-week period lasting from childbirth to the return of normal uterine size.
Pulmonitis: Inflammation of the lung.
Rabies: Rabies is an acute viral disease of the central nervous system that affects humans and other mammals but is most common in carnivores (flesh-eaters). It is sometimes referred to as a zoonosis, or disease of animals that can be communicated to humans. Rabies is almost exclusively transmitted through saliva from the bite of an infected animal. Another name for the disease is hydrophobia, which literally means “fear of water,” a symptom shared by half of all people infected with rabies. Other symptoms include fever, depression, confusion, painful muscle spasms, sensitivity to touch, loud noise, and light, extreme thirst, painful swallowing, excessive salivation, and loss of muscle tone. If rabies is not prevented by immunization, it is almost always fatal.
Rash: A temporary eruption on the skin.
Restlessness: An inability to achieve relaxation; a feeling of mild mental discomfort. Restlessness is frequently an early, subtle sign of a patient’s deterioration.
Retrovirus: A large group of RNA viruses that includes the leukoviruses and lentiviruses; so called because they carry reverse transcriptase.
Rheumatism: Any of a variety of disorders marked by inflammation, degeneration, or metabolic derangement of the connective tissue structures, especially the joints and related structures, and attended by pain, stiffness, or limitation of motion.
Rhinitis: Inflammation of the mucous lining of the nose.
Ringworm: A common fungal infection of the skin. The name is a misnomer since the disease is not caused by a worm. More common in males than in females, ringworm is characterized by patches of rough, reddened skin. Raised eruptions usually form the circular pattern that gives the condition its name. Ringworm may also be referred to as dermatophyte infection. As lesions grow, the centers start to heal. The inflamed borders expand and spread the infection.
Roundworm: Any of the parasitic, unsegmented, cylindrical in cross-section, elongated in shape, nematode worms, that look similar to the common earthworm, which invade principally the gastrointestinal tract. Almost any organ can be involved. Comprises the class Nematoda and its large number of genera.
Scabies: Scabies, a relatively contagious infection, is caused by a tiny insect about 0.3 mm long called a mite. When a human comes in contact with the female mite, the mite burrows under the skin, laying eggs along the line of its burrow. These eggs hatch, and the resulting offspring rise to the surface of the skin, mate, and repeat the cycle either within the skin of the original host, or within the skin of its next victim. The intense itching almost always caused by scabies is due to a reaction within the skin to the feces of the mite. The first time someone is infected with scabies, he or she may not notice any itching for a number of weeks (four to six weeks). With subsequent infections, the itchiness will begin within hours of picking up the first mite.
Scald: To burn with hot liquid or steam; a burn so produced.
Scarlet Fever: An infection that is caused by a bacteria called streptococcus. The disease is characterized by a sore throat, fever, and a sandpaper-like rash on reddened skin. It is primarily a childhood disease. If scarlet fever is untreated, serious complications such as rheumatic fever (a heart disease) or kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis) can develop.
Sciatica: Sciatica refers to pain or discomfort associated with the sciatic nerve. This nerve runs from the lower part of the spinal cord, down the back of the leg, to the foot. Injury to or pressure on the sciatic nerve can cause the characteristic pain of sciatica: a sharp or burning pain that radiates from the lower back or hip, possibly following the path of the sciatic nerve to the foot.
Scrofula: A form of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes, especially of the neck, that is most common in children and is usually spread by unpasteurized milk from infected cows. Also called struma.
Scurvy: Scurvy is a condition caused by a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the diet. Signs of scurvy include tiredness, muscle weakness, joint and muscle aches, a rash on the legs, and bleeding gums. In the past, scurvy was common among sailors and other people deprived of fresh fruits and vegetables for long periods of time.
Seborrhea: Overactivity of the sebaceous glands characterized by excessive secretion of sebum or an alteration in its quality, resulting in an oily coating, crusts, or scales on the skin.
Seizure: A single episode of epilepsy, often named for the type it represents.
Shakiness: Trembling or quivering; tremulous. Lacking soundness or sturdiness, as of construction.
Sinusitis: Sinusitis refers to an inflammation of the sinuses, airspaces within the bones of the face. Sinusitis is most often due to an infection within these spaces.
Smallpox: An infection caused by the variola virus, a member of the poxvirus family. Smallpox is strictly an infection of human beings. Animals and insects can neither be infected by smallpox, nor carry the virus in any form. Most infections are caused by contact with a person who has already developed the characteristic skin lesions (pox) of the disease, although a person who has a less severe infection (not symptomatic or diagnosable in the usual way) can unwittingly spread the virus.
Spasmolytic: Providing relief to cramping, spasms, and convulsions. See antispasmodic.
Splenomegalia: Enlarged Spleen
Stomatitis: Inflammation of the mucous lining of any of the structures in the mouth, which may involve the cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, and roof or floor of the mouth. The word “stomatitis” literally means inflammation of the mouth. The inflammation can be caused by conditions in the mouth itself, such as poor oral hygiene, poorly fitted dentures, or from mouth burns from hot food or drinks, or by conditions that affect the entire body, such as medications, allergic reactions, or infections.
Stones: Also known as calculi, stones result from an excessive build-up of mineral crystals in the kidney. Symptoms of stones include intense pain in the lower back or abdomen, urinary tract infection, fever, burning sensation on urination, and/or blood in the urine.
Strangury: Slow and painful discharge of the urine, due to spasm of the urethra and bladder, in which the urine is passed drop by drop.
Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells in a localized area due to inadequate blood flow.
Sunburn: Inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to the sun.
Swelling: Transient abnormal enlargement of a body part or area not due to cell proliferation.
Syncope: Fainting
Syphilis: An infectious systemic disease that may be either congenital or acquired through sexual contact or contaminated needles.
Tapeworm: Any of various ribbonlike, often very long flatworms of the class Cestoda, that lack an alimentary canal and are intestinal parasites in humans.
Thrombosis: Formation of a clot in the blood that either blocks, or partially blocks a blood vessel. The thrombus may lead to infarction, or death of tissue, due to a blocked blood supply.
Thrush: A contagious disease caused by a fungus, Candida albicans, that occurs most often in infants and children, characterized by small whitish eruptions on the mouth, throat, and tongue, and usually accompanied by fever, colic, and diarrhea.
Tinnitus: Tinnitus is hearing ringing, buzzing, or other sounds without an external cause. Patients may experience tinnitus in one or both ears or in the head.
Tonsillitis: An infection and swelling of the tonsils, which are oval-shaped masses of lymph gland tissue located on both sides of the back of the throat.
Tophus: A deposit of sodium urate in the tissues about the joints in gout, producing a chronic, foreign-body inflammatory response.
Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially fatal contagious disease that can affect almost any part of the body but is mainly an infection of the lungs. It is caused by a bacterial microorganism, the tubercle bacillus or Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although TB can be treated, cured, and can be prevented if persons at risk take certain drugs, scientists have never come close to wiping it out.
Tumors: An abnormal growth of tissue resulting from uncontrolled, progressive multiplication of cells and serving no physiological function; a neoplasm. A swollen part; a swelling.
Typhoid: Bacterial infection transmitted by contaminated water, milk or other foods, especially shellfish. The causative organism is Salmonella typhi, which is harbored in human feces. Entering the body through the intestinal tract, the bacillus starts multiplying in the bloodstream, causing fever and diarrhea. The usual incubation period is 7 to 14 days. Later the bacilli localize in the intestinal tract or the gallbladder. The disease is serious and sometimes fatal.
Typhus: Several different illnesses are called “typhus,” all of them caused by one of the bacteria in the family Rickettsiae. Each illness occurs when the bacteria is passed to a human through contact with an infected insect, body lice. When the lice feed on a human, they may simultaneously defecate. When the person scratches the bite, the feces (which carrys the bacteria) are scratched into the wound. Body lice are common in areas in which people live in overcrowded, dirty conditions, with few opportunities to wash themselves or their clothing. Because of this fact, this form of typhus occurs simultaneously in large numbers of individuals living within the same community; that is, in epidemics. This type of typhus occurs when cold weather, poverty, war, and other disasters result in close living conditions that encourage the maintenance of a population of lice living among humans.
Ulcer: A local defect, or excavation of the surface, of an organ or tissue, produced by sloughing of necrotic inflammatory tissue.
Unconsciousness: A state of impaired consciousness in which one shows no responsiveness to environmental stimuli but may respond to deep pain with involuntary movements.
Urethritis: An inflammation of the urethra that is usually caused by an infection.
Vaginitis: Inflammation of the vagina.
Valvulitis: Inflammation of a valve, especially of a heart valve.
Varicosity: An abnormal condition, usually of a vein, characterized by swelling and tortuosity. A varicose enlargement or swelling.
Venereal: Pertaining to, related to, or transmitted by sexual contact.
Vertigo: A sensation of irregular or whirling motion, either of oneself or of external objects, often caused by inner ear disease.
Virus: A minute infectious agent which, with certain exceptions, is not resolved by the light microscope, lacks independent metabolism and is able to replicate only within a living host cell.
Vitiligo: A condition in which a loss of cells that give color to the skin (melanocytes) results in smooth, white patches in the midst of normally pigmented skin.
Warts: Small, benign growths caused by a viral infection of the skin or mucous membrane. The virus infects the surface layer. The viruses that cause warts are members of the human papilloma virus (HPV) family. Warts are not cancerous but some strains of HPV, usually not associated with warts, have been linked with cancer formation. Warts are contagious from person to person and from one area of the body to another on the same person.
Wens: A sebaceous or epidermal inclusion cyst.
Whooping Cough: Also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious disease which causes classic spasms (paroxysms) of uncontrollable coughing, followed by a sharp, high-pitched intake of air which creates the characteristic “whoop” of the disease’s name.
Preparations:
Balm: An aromatic salve or oil for soothing, healing, or comforting agent.
Collyrium: A medicinal lotion applied to the eye.
Cream: Something having the consistency of cream; especially : a usually emulsified medicinal or cosmetic preparation
Decoction: A preparation made by boiling a plant part in water.
Deodorant: An agent that masks, suppresses, or neutralizes odors, especially a cosmetic applied to the skin to mask body odors.
Douche: A stream of water, often containing medicinal or cleansing agents, that is applied to a body part or cavity for hygienic or therapeutic purposes.
Enema: A solution introduced into the rectum to promote evacuation of feces or as a means of introducing nutrients, medicinal substances, or opaque material for radiologic examination of the lower intestinal tract.
Essential Oil: Any of various volatile liquids, such as rose oil or lavender oil, that have a characteristic odor and are produced by plants. Essential oils are composed primarily of terpenes and of lesser quantities of alcohols, aldehydes, esters, phenols, and other compounds that impart particular odors or flavors. They are used to make perfumes, soaps, flavorings, and other products.
Fumitory: Steam or smoke inhalants.
Infusion: A preparation made by soaking a plant part in hot or cold water to make tea.
Mouthwash: A medicated liquid for cleaning the mouth and treating diseased mucous membranes.
Moxa: A dried herb substance burned on or above the skin to stimulate an acupuncture point or serve as a counterirritant.
Ointment: A smooth substance that is rubbed on the skin to help heal a wound or to reduce pain or discomfort.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot mass of plant material applied to the skin, or with cloth between the skin and plant material, to effect a medicinal action.
Powder: the dried product of an extraction process in which the herb is first mixed with a solvent such as alcohol or water and is distill. Then, the solvent is removed completely. The dry solid that remains either is already in powder form or may be ground into it.
Saponin: Aglycoside compound common in plants, which, when shaken with water, has a foaming or “soapy” action.
Tincture: A diluted alcohol solution of plant parts.
Tonic: Treatment, usually an herbal concoction, that refreshes and restores health, energy, and vitality.