Medical Terminology

Description

Medical terminology is a specialized language used by healthcare professionals to describe the human body, its functions, diseases, conditions, procedures, and treatments. It is based primarily on Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes, which combine to form terms that are precise and descriptive. Here’s a breakdown of key components in medical terminology:

### 1. **Root Words (Base of the Term)**
– **Root words** typically describe a body part or system. For example:
– **Cardi** = heart
– **Gastro** = stomach
– **Neuro** = nerve
– **Hepat** = liver

### 2. **Prefixes (Beginning of the Term)**
– **Prefixes** modify the meaning of the root word, often indicating location, time, number, or status. For example:
– **Hypo-** = under, below
– **Hyper-** = over, excessive
– **Inter-** = between
– **Pre-** = before
– **Post-** = after

### 3. **Suffixes (End of the Term)**
– **Suffixes** provide additional information, such as the type of condition, procedure, or disease. For example:
– **-itis** = inflammation (e.g., **gastritis** = inflammation of the stomach)
– **-ectomy** = removal (e.g., **appendectomy** = removal of the appendix)
– **-algia** = pain (e.g., **neuralgia** = nerve pain)
– **-osis** = condition, usually abnormal (e.g., **cirrhosis** = liver disease)

### 4. **Combining Vowels**
– A combining vowel, typically “o,” is used to join root words to suffixes or other root words. It helps with pronunciation. For example:
– **Gastr/o** + **-ectomy** = **Gastroectomy** (removal of part of the stomach)
– **Cardi/o** + **-logy** = **Cardiology** (study of the heart)

### Examples of Medical Terms:
1. **Cardiovascular**
– **Cardi/o** = heart
– **Vascul** = blood vessel
– **-ar** = pertaining to
– Meaning: Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.

2. **Hepatitis**
– **Hepat** = liver
– **-itis** = inflammation
– Meaning: Inflammation of the liver.

3. **Arthritis**
– **Arthr** = joint
– **-itis** = inflammation
– Meaning: Inflammation of the joints.

4. **Nephrectomy**
– **Nephr** = kidney
– **-ectomy** = removal
– Meaning: Removal of the kidney.

5. **Dermatology**
– **Dermat/o** = skin
– **-logy** = study of
– Meaning: Study of the skin.

### Medical Specialties Based on Terminology:
– **Cardiology**: Study of the heart and its functions.
– **Neurology**: Study of the nervous system.
– **Gastroenterology**: Study of the digestive system.
– **Pulmonology**: Study of the lungs and respiratory system.

### Common Medical Abbreviations:
– **BP**: Blood pressure
– **CBC**: Complete blood count
– **HR**: Heart rate
– **ECG/EKG**: Electrocardiogram
– **IV**: Intravenous

If you’d like to dive deeper into any specific area of medical terminology or need help with pronunciation, let me know!