Guest guest Posted June 11, 2002 Report Share Posted June 11, 2002 Aletta, Sorry that I am not up to finding the definitions for you and everyone else but I do have a couple of sites to help. http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?action=Home&query= http://pspinformation.com/index.html and look under glossery. Hope these help. Deborah aka Teancity Reply-To: shydrager To: shydrager Subject: plain language terms Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 22:31:07 -0700 ---------- Had some blood tests today, took a lot of poking to extract four vials. Looks a lot like chocolate syrup. I did a bit of work on the plain laguage terminology of what we might come accross when dealing with medical professionals and literature. Not all are done, and no doubt more need to be added in. Feel free to add terms and/or definitions. I've made it blue, so you can add in a differnt colour (black, red whatever) - makes for easier editing. Hope it helps.PLAINLY PUT: Ablation = the removal of a body part, often by surgery Alien limb phenomenon = dystonia = extreme muscle cramp resulting in loss of movement with limb in permanent cramp - also seen it described as the sense that your limb is no longer under your control and pretty much does at it pleases Aspiration = to breathe take in liquid or solid Aspiration pneumonia = developing pneumonia as a consequence of aspiration Ataxia = movement disorders Athropy = wasting or withering Atypical features = not normal Autonomic dysfunction. = unable to control function which should not require thought (breathing, heart rate, thermoregulation) Candiasis = yeast infection, yeast needs moist warm places, can affect any number of body parts - most obvious Thrush, a white coating on tongue and throat - not treatable with anti-biotics, treated as a fungus, or by adding good' bacteria to your diet (Acidophilus - in yogurt, buttermilk or live culture supplement) Cerebellar signs = concerned primarily with somatic motor function, the control of muscle tone and the maintenance of balance Cerebellar = pertaining to loss of somatic motor function, the control of muscle tone and the maintenance of balance Cerebellar dysfunction= somatic motor function, the control of muscle tone and the maintenance of balance are not working Chronic = ongoing Contractures = cramps Cortical-basal ganglionic degeneration = CBGD Cortical sensory loss = Cortical reflex myoclonus = Diffuse Lewy body disease (LBD) = Ken had this - much like MSA symptom wise, Lewy Bodies can be imaged like lesions, but more obscure Drug induced = caused by drugs Dysautonomia = autonomic failure = automatic functions of the body do not work properly like temperature and OH Dysphagia = speech or swallowing difficulties Dystonia = extreme muscle cramp resulting in loss of movement with limb in permanent cramp Edema = swelling of tissue due to excessive fluid buildup (swollen feet, ankles, abdomen) Encephalitis lethargica = viral brain infection (sleeping sickness) Focal rigidity = Hederodegenerative diseases = ('s, Hallervorden-Spatz, Huntington's disease, etc.) Hederodegenerative disease. = some sort of ivy shaped nerves I think Hepatocerebral degeneration = HIV = AIDS - Human Immunodeficient Virus - AIDS refers to the later stages Hospice = palliative care for those with progressive and terminal illness where the emphasis is on comfort of the patient, not treatment/cure Hydrocephalus = water on the brain Hyper = over Hypertense = high blood pressure Hyperthermic = above normal temperature Hypervolemic = too much blood volume Hypo = under Hypotense = low blood pressure Hypothermic = below normal temperature Hypothyroidism = underfunctioning thyroid Hypovolemic = too little blood volume Ideomotor apraxias = Infection = hope we know that - just to be sure - caused by bacteria, will show on culuture and treated with anti-biotics Inflammation = swelling, redness, irritation (eg urinary inflammation due to retention, in sufficient urine production, stones etc.) - can not be treated with anti biotics - treating the sources and anti-inflammaroty medications (Aspirin or Tylenol) may offer some relief Intellectual = thought processing ability Intracytoplasmic oligodendroglial inclusion body = Long-tract signs = Marked asymmetry of involvement = one side of body affected more than the other Mass lesions = scarring all over (from demyelating disease etc.) Olivopontocerebellar atrophy (parkinsonism with cerebellar dysfunction) or OPCA = disease affecting movement, and balance problems Orthostatic hypotension = blood pressure falls (at least 20 points) when patient rises to a sitting or standing position Palliative = care of patient with focus on quality of life not extension of life Paraneoplastic = pertaining to hormonal, neurological, haematological, and other clinical and biochemical disturbances associated with malignant neoplasms but not directly related to invasion by the primary tumour or its metastases - plainly put due to the spread of cancer Pick's disease = predominant feature is frontal lobe dementia (personality changes etc.) Prion disease = like mad cow disease - the Prion is neither virus nor bacteria the word Prion descrtibes a specific type of organism, it does not react to antibiotic or other treatment, it is a contagion (can be passed on - like eating infected meats) actually most Parkinson's Plus disorders fit description - of the symptoms not the disease process Progressive = gets worse Progressive Supranuclear Palsy or PSP = degenerative neurological disorder characterized by speech and gait problems, difficulty gazing upward, with no intellectual impairment Progressive pallidal atrophy = Pulmonary edema = fluid buildup in body cavity affecting lungs and breathing Pulmonary = to do with the lungs Pyramidal = Pyramidal signs = Respiration = to breathe, take in oxygen (gas) Secondary Parkinsonism = second to another medical condition, medication or toxin (poisin) Shy-Drager Syndrome (MSA with primarily autonomic dysfunction). = automatic functions not working properly (OH, temperature control bladder incontenence, digestion, heart rate, allergic reactions, saliva and tear production) Somatic = to do with the body, physical Sporadic = all over the place, unpredictable SSPE = subacute sclerosing panencephalitis = ask a neuro Striatonigral degeneration (parkinsonism poorly responsive to levodopa and frequently associated with cervical dystonia) = cervical dystonia = rigid back= rigidity Subcortical dementia = relating to the subcortex; beneath the cerebral cortex. Supine hypertension = blood pressure rises when patient lays down (normally it should go down) Syndrome = constellation of symptoms Syringomesencephalia = Toxins = poinson, cadmium would be an example - drugs such as opiates are considered here also Trauma = blow to the head for example, or life altering experience Vascular = to do with blood and it's circulation aletta mes vancouver, bc Canada web: http://aletta.0catch.com _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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