Utilities: Glossary

Accumulation of pus, usually caused by bacterial infection (or viral, pararitic, fungal), in almost any body part (most common: face, armpit, extremities, rectum, and female breast during lactation).

afferent:

Carrying impulses toward a center, as when a sensory nerve carries a message toward the brain; also said of certain veins and lymphatics.

adaptogen:

A term for a substance, usually an herb, that produces suitable adjustments in the body. Adaptogens tend to normalize body functions, and when the job is completed, they are eliminated or incorporated into the body without side effects. Some beneficial adaptogens include garlic, ginseng, echinacea, ginkgo, goldenseal, and pau d'arco.

acute illness:

An illness that comes on quickly and may cause relatively severe symptoms, but is of limited duration.

alkaline:

On the pH scale, a base (opposite of an acid); any substance that combines with hydrogen ions protons); a hydrogen ion acceptor.

alterative:

A substance with properties that gradually restore proper functioning of the body, increasing health and vitality.

analgesic:

Tending to relieve pain, or a substance that relieves pain.

anemia:

A deficiency in the blood's ability to carry oxygen to the body tissues.

angina (Angina Pectoris):

Acute sore throat.

arteriosclerosis:

A circulator disorder characterized by a thickening and stiffening of the walls of large and medium-sized arteries, which impedes circulation.

atherosclerosis:

The most common type of arteriosclerosis, caused by the accumulation of fatty deposits in the inner linings of the arteries.

ausculation:

Process of listening for sound within the body, usually to sounds of thoracic or abdominal viscera, in order to detect some abnormal condition, or to detect fetal heart sounds.

autonomic nervous system:

The part of the nervous that is concerned with control of involuntary bodily functions. It is divided into the sympathetic or thoracolumbar system and the parasympathetic or craniosacral system. It regulates the function of glands, smooth muscle tissue, and the heart.

autoimmune disorder:

Any condition in which the immune system reacts inappropriately to the body's own tissues and attacks them, causing damage and/or interfering with normal functioning. Examples include Bright's disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis,
and systemic lupus erythematosus.

beriberi:

A deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) causing neurologic, mental, and cardiovascular problems.

bronchodilators:

Chemicals that relax or open the air passages in the lungs.

bronchodilators:

Chemicals that relax or open air passages in the lungs.

capillary:

Any of the minute blood vessels, averaging 0.008 mm. in diameter, carrying blood and forming the capillary system. Capillaries connect the ends of of the smallest arteries (arterioles) with the beginnings of the smallest veins (venules).

circadian rhythm:

Pertains to events that occur at approximately
twenty-four hour intervals, such as certain physiological phenomena.

circulating immune complexes (CIC):

Also known as antigen-antibody complexes.

eczema:

Inflammation of the skin, usually associated with blisters, red bumps, swelling, oozing, scaling, crusting, and itching. Eczema is often called dermatitis.

efferent:

Carrying away from a central organ or section, as efferent nerves, which conduct impulses from the brain or spinal cord to the periphery, efferent lymph vessels, and efferent arterioles.

fibromyalgia (also known as fibromyositis):

A group of common nonspecific illnesses characterized by pain, tenderness, and stiffness of joints, capsules, and adjacent structures.

pellagra:

Severe deficiency of niacin.

psoriasis:

Common, chronic skin condition that is prone to reoccurences.

beta-carotene:

A substance the body uses to make vitamin A.

cardiac arrhythmia:

An abnormal heart rate or rhythm.

chronic illness:

A disorder that persists or recurs over an extended
period, often for life. Chronic illness can be as relatively benign as
hay fever or as serious as multiple sclerosis.

coenzyme:

A molecule that works with an enzyme to enable the enzyme to perform its function in the body. Coenzymes are necessary in the utilization of vitamins and minerals.

colic:

Sharp abdominal pains that result from spasm or obstruction of certain organs or structures, especially the intestines, uterus, or bile ducts.

congenital:

Present from birth, but not necessarily inherited.

diuretic:

Tending to increase urine flow, or a substance that promotes the excretion of fluids.

edema:

Retention of fluid in the tissues that results in swelling.

electrolyte:

Soluble salts dissolved in the body's fluids. Electrolytes are the form in which most minerals circulate in the body. They are so named because the are capable of conducting electrical impulses.

endemic:

Native to or prevalent in a particular geographic region. Often used to describe diseases.

epidermis:

The outer layer of the skin.

flatulence:

Excessive amounts of gas in the stomach or other parts of the digestive tract.

free radical:

An atom or group of atoms that is highly chemically
reactive because it has at least one unpaired electron. Because they join so readily with other compounds, free radicals can attack cells and can cause a lot of damage in the body. Free radicals form in heated fats and oils, and as a result of exposure to atmospheric radiation and environmental pollutants, among other things.

gastritis:

Inflammation of the stomach lining.

hemorrhage:

Profuse or abnormal bleeding.

hemiplegia:

A brain lesion involving the upper motor neurons and resulting in paralysis of the opposite side of the body. May result from disturbed flow to a portion of the brain.

hepatitis:

A general term for inflammation of the liver. It can result from infection or exposure to toxins.

ion:

An electrically charged particle that can carry either a positive charge or a negative charge. An ion consists of an atom or group of atoms into which the molecules of an electrolyte are divided.

lesion:

A circumscribed area of pathologically altered tissue; an injury or wound; single infected patch in a skin disease.

lymph:

An alkaline fluid found in the lymphatic vessels. It is usually a clear, transparent, colorless fluid; however, in vessels draining the intestines it may appear milky owing to the presence of absorbed fats.

osteopathy:

A system of medicine based on the belief that the body is a vital mechanical organism whose structural and functional integrity are coordinated and interdependent, and that disturbances in the
musculoskeletal system can therefore cause disorders elsewhere in the body. Because of this philosophy, alhough osteopaths can prescribe drugs and perform surgery, they are more likely to recommend physical therapy or musculoskeletal manipulation as the treatment of first choice.

osteoporosis:

A disorder in which minerals leach out of the bones,
rendering them progressively more porous and fragile.

prognosis:

A forecast as to the likely course and/or outcome of a
disorder or condition.

yang deficiency:

Because yang cannot function properly without yin, an
imbalance in the energy systems of the body can create a yang deficiency, causing the yang organs to become stagnant.

yang organs:

Yang organs are hollow, surface organs such as the
intestines, spleen, gallbladder, and the skin.

yin deficiency:

Because yin cannot function properly without yang, an imbalance in the energy systems of the body can create a yin deficiency, causing the yin organs to become stagnant.

yin organs:

Yin organs are dense, internal organs such as the kidneys, lungs, heart, liver, and bones.

glossary resources:

Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary-Illustrated Edition 16; Dictionary Editor M. Katherine Rice and New Illustrations by Beth Anne Willert, M.S.; Edited by Clayton L. Thomas, M.D., M.P.H.; F.A. Davis Company; Philadelphia, PA; copyright 1989.