Medical and
Psychosocial Aspects of Rehabilitation Counseling
Medical Terminology
Prefixes
Word roots can be modified by prefixes that denote:
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Position in time or space o Pre- means before or in front of § prenatal: before birth o Peri- means around or about § perinatal: around the time of the birth § perithoratic: around the thorax o Post- means behind, after, or following § postnatal: following birth § posterior: toward the back o Ab- means way from § abnormal: away from normal § abduction: drawing away from the mid-line of the body by the arm or leg o Circum- means around § circumaticular: around a joint |
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Quantitative information o A- or An- means without § anorexia: without appetite § anoxia: without enough oxygen o Hemi- means half § hemiplegia: paralysis of one lateral half of the body o Diplo- means double § diploplia: double vision o Quad- means four § quadriplegia: paralysis of all four extremities |
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Qualitative information o Mal- means bad or ill § malfunction: defective functioning § malocclusion: faulty positioning of the upper or lower teeth in relation to the other o Eu- means good or healthy § euphoria: sense of well-being or condition of good health § euthanasia: easy or painless death |
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Sameness and Difference o Hetero- means different § heterogeneous: differing in kinds or nature § heterosexual: sexual orientation directed to the opposite sex o Homo- means same § homogeneous: of the same kind § homosexual: sexual orientation directed to the same sex |
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Physical attributes (size, shape, color) o Micro- means small § microcephalia: abnormal smallness of the head § micromelia: abnormal smallness or shortness of the extremities o Brachy- means short § brachycephalia: having a short head § brachydactylia: having abnormally short fingers and toes o Oxy- means pointed or sharp § oxycephaly: having a high and pointed head o Albo- means white § albinism: absence of pigmentation |
Suffixes
Suffixes and significant word endings characteristically function in compound words to:
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Form adjectives o -al means pertaining to § peritoneal: pertaining to the peritoneum § arterial: pertaining to an artery o -ible or -able means ability § digestible: capable of being digested § operable: subject to being operated |
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Express diminutive size o A number of suffixes serve this purpose, including -cule, -icle, -ium, -ole, -ule, and variations § diverticulum: a small outpocketing from a hollow organ § arteriole: a small artery § granule: a small grain |
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Indicate a surgical procedure o -ectomy means removal of an organ or part § appendectomy: removal of the appendix o -lysis means loosening, usually of adhesions § cardiolysis: freeing of the heart of pericardial adhesions o -ostomy means an operation in which an artificial opening is formed between two hollow organs or between one or more such viscera and the abdominal wall for discharge of intestinal content or urine § colostomy: the surgical creation of an opening between the colon and the exterior of the body o -pexy means fixation § nephropexy: the surgical attachment of a floating kidney o -plasty means plastic surgery § blepharoplasty: plastic surgery of the eyelids o -rrhaphy means suture or operative repair § tenorrhaphy: the suturing of a tendon o -scopy means viewing or examining, usually with an instrument § endoscopy: visual inspection of any body cavity by means of an endoscope o -tomy means cutting or incision § laparotomy: the surgical opening of the abdomen o -tripsy means the intentional surgical crushing of a structure § lithotripsy: the disintegration of a kidney stone by a high-energy shockwave |
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Express conditions or changes related to pathological processes o -mania means excessive excitement or obsessive preoccupation § pyromania: an irrational compulsion to set fires o -sis means an action, process, or condition § silicosis: a fibrotic disorder of the lungs following inhalation of dust containing silicon dioxide § thoracentesis: surgical puncture of the chest wall for removal of fluid o -itis means inflammation § appendicitis: an inflammation of the appendix |
Basic Terms
Besides
these loosely formulated classes of prefixes and suffixes, there are a number
of
miscellaneous prefixes, roots, and suffixes that will
aid in the understanding of medical
terminology. The most significant are included
in the vocabulary that follows.
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· -algia means pain (e.g., neuralgia) · angio- means blood vessel (e.g., angiogram) · ante- means before (e.g., antecubital) · arth- means joint (e.g., arthroscopy) · blephar- means eyelid (e.g., blepharospasm) · cardi- means heart (e.g., electrocardiogram) · -cele means either a swelling or a hernia (e.g., varicocele, rectocele) · cerebro- means cerebrum (e.g., cerebral) · chole- means gall or bile (e.g., cholecystectomy) · chondr- means cartilage (e.g., chondrocostal) · contra- means opposed to (e.g., contraception) · cost- means rib (e.g., intercostal) · cysto- means bladder (e.g., cystitis) · -desis means fusion (e.g., arthrodesis) · derm- means skin (e.g., dermatology) · dys- means difficult or abnormal (e.g., dyspnea) · ect- means outside (e.g., ectomorph) · -ectomy means removal (e.g., splenectomy) · -emia means condition of the blood (e.g., polycythemia) · enceph- means brain (e.g., encephalitis) · end- means within (e.g., endocrine) · enter- means intestine (e.g., enterostomy) · epi- means upon or above (e.g., epithelium) · -genic means giving rise to (e.g., psychogenic) · glyco- means sugar (e.g., glycosuria) · hemi- means half (e.g., hemiplegia) · hepat- means liver (e.g., hepatitis) · hyper- means in excess (e.g., hypertension) · hyster- means uterus (e.g., hysterectomy) · -iosis means a pathological condition (e.g., amebiosis) · -itis means inflammation (e.g., tonsillitis) · luek- means white (e.g., leukocyte) · lip- means fat (e.g., hyperlipemia) · -lith means stone (e.g., nephrolithiasis) · -megaly means a state of largeness (e.g., hepatomegaly) · myel- means either bone marrow or spinal cord (e.g., myelocyte) · myo- means muscle (e.g., myocardium) · neph- means kidney (e.g., nephrosis) · -oid means resembling (e.g., thyroid) · -oma means tumor or swelling (e.g., carcinoma) · -oscopy means visual examination (e.g., laparoscopy) · -osis means disease process or condition (e.g., necrosis) · osteo- means bone (e.g., osteoarthritis) · -ostomy means creation of an artificial opening in an organ (e.g., tracheostomy) · -otomy means incision (e.g., craniotomy) · para- means near, alongside, beyond, or outside (e.g., paravertebral) · -pathy means disease of (e.g., cardiomyopathy) · -penia means lack of (e.g., leukopenia) · -plasty means reparative or reconstructive surgery (e.g., rhinoplasty) · pneumo- means air (e.g., pneumothorax) · pre- means before (e.g., precancerous) · pro- means in front of or before (e.g., prognathism) · proct- means rectum or anus (e.g., proctology) · -ptosis means lowering of an organ or part (e.g., nephroptosis) · pyel- means pelvis (e.g., pyelogram) · pyo- means pus (e.g., pyorrhea) · spondyl- means vertebra (e.g., spondylolysis) · sub- means under (e.g., submandibular) · super- means above or excessive (e.g., supersensitivity) · supra- means above (e.g., supraventricular) · syn- means together (e.g., synarthrosis) · trans- means across (e.g., transurethral) · tri- means three (e.g., triceps) |
Landmarks
The landmark terms designate relative
position and direction. They are described in relation
to a person who is standing in the erect position looking forward with arms to
the side of the
body and hands with palms forward. The most commonly used are the
following:
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Body Areas
Specific sites of illness or injury
are usually designated by terms derived from the adjacent
anatomic structure. Among the commonly used terms to indicate body areas
are the following:
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Medical Abbreviations
Understanding
verbal and written communication with physicians involves knowledge of the
terms used and a familiarity with the abbreviations
in widespread use within the profession.
Abbreviations denote instructions that are included
in prescriptions for medications, some
signify symptoms as reported by patients, and some
refer to anatomic parts or body systems.
A few examples are the following:
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All of this information is from:
Felton, J. S. (2002). Medical terminology. In M. G. Brodwin, F. Tellez, & S. K. Brodwin (Eds.), Medical, psychological and vocational aspects of disability (2nd ed.) (pp. 15-26). Athens, GA: Elliot & Fitzpatrick.