Chapter 7

• Acupuncture An ancient Chinese method of inserting thin needles into the body at specific points to relieve pain, induce anesthesia, or promote healing; similar effects can be obtained by using firm finger pressure at the surface of the body in the technique of acupressure
• Biofeedback A method for learning control of involuntary physiologic responses by using electronic devices to monitor bodily changes and feeding this information back to a person
• Chiropractic A science that stresses the condition of the nervous system in diagnosis and treatment of disease; often, the spine is manipulated to correct misalignment. Most patients consult for musculoskeletal pain and headaches
• Holistic Health Care Practice of treating a person as a whole entity with physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. It stresses comprehensive care, involvement in one's own care, and the maintenance of good health rather than the treatment of disease.
• Homeopathy A philosophy of treating disease by administering drugs in highly diluted form along with promoting healthy life habits and a healthy environment
• Massage Manipulation of the body or portion of the body to calm, relieve tension, increase circulation, and stimulate muscles
• Meditation Process of clearing the mind by concentrating on the inner self while controlling breathing and perhaps repeating a word or phrase (mantra)
• Naturopathy A therapeutic philosophy of helping to heal themselves by developing healthy lifestyles; naturopaths may use some of the methods of conventional medicine
• Osteopathy A system of therapy based on the theory that the body can overcome disease when it has normal structure, a favorable environment, and proper nutrition. Osteopaths use standard medical practices for diagnosis and treatment but stress, the identification and correction of faulty body structures.
• -graph instrument for recording data
• graphy act of recording data
• gram a record of data
• meter instrument for measuring
• metry measurement of
• scope instrument for viewing or examining
• scopy examination of
• centesis puncture, tap
• desis binding, fusion
• pexy surgical fixation
• plasty plastic repair, plastic surgery, reconstruction
• rhaphy surgical repair, suture
• stomy surgical creation of an opening
• tome instrument for incising
• tomy incision, cutting
• tripsy crushing
• Clubbing Enlargement of the ends of the fingers and toes because of soft-tissue growth of the nails, seen in a variety of diseases, especially lung and heart diseases
• Colic Acute abdominal pain associated with smooth-muscle spasms
• Cyanosis Bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen
• Diaphoresis Profuse Sweating
• Malaise A feeling of discomfort or uneasiness, often indicative of infection
• Nocturnal Pertaining to or occurring at night
• Prodrome A symptom indicating an approaching disease
• Sequela A lasting effect of a disease
• Syncope A temporary loss of consciousness because of inadequate blood flow to the brain; fainting
• Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) a fetal protein that appears in the blood of adults with certain types of cancer
• Bruit A sound, usually abnormal, heard in ascultation
• Facies The expression or appearance of the face
• Febrile Pertaining to fever
• Nuclear Medicine The branch of medicine concerned with hte use of radioactive substances (radionuclides) for diagnosis, therapy, and research
• Radionuclide A substance that gives off radiation; used for diagnosis and treatment; also called radioisotope or radiopharmaceutical