Acupuncture

The insertion of needles into living tissues (pricking the skin) for remedial purposes.

Adjuvant

A second form of treatment that, when added to an existing form of treatment, speeds or improves its action and aids the patient's recovery.

Aspergers Syndrome

Asperger's Syndrome is a form of autism; a condition that affects the way a person communicates and relates to others. A number of traits of autism are common to Asperger's syndrome including difficulty in social relationships, difficulty in communicating, limitations in imagination and creative play.

Athlete's foot

An infection between the toes caused by a fungus, which leads to itchy, sore and cracked skin.

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A disorder mainly present in children and adolescents, characterised by an inability to concentrate, which results in learning and behaviour problems, and sometimes hyperactivity.

Autism

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. It is characterised by difficulties with interaction and communication; poor personal skills; difficulties with speech, language and communication; inflexible thought patterns and resistance to change.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder - ASD

The commonly used terms autism and Asperger's syndrome are autistic spectrum disorders.

Autopsy

The examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death or for research.

Biomechanics

A science concerned with the action of forces within a body to create movement, or on a body altering movement.

Bowel

The large and small intestines.

Cadaver

A dead body. A word no longer used in the UK but nearly always used in America (see also corpse).

Cardiovascular

Relating to the heart and blood vessels that are responsible for circulating blood throughout the body.

Cartilage

A tough, slippery tissue in a joint that covers the end of bones. It allows them to move easily over one another and also acts as a shock absorber.

Catheter

A hollow, flexible tube inserted into the body to put in or take out fluid, or to open up or close blood vessels.

Cerebral palsy

Disorder of movement and posture resulting from damage to the brain early in a child's development; causes muscle weakness, difficulty co-ordinating voluntary movements, and sometimes complete loss of motion.

Chemotherapy

The treatment of cancer with drugs (chemicals) that act on disease-producing organisms or cancerous tissue; may also affect normal cells.

Clinical psychology

A branch of psychology that specialises in both discovering new knowledge by experimentation and in applying the science of psychology to persons with emotional or behaviour problems.

Coeliac

A physical condition caused by an inability to digest gluten (the protein of wheat and rye), which often causes digestion problems, diarrhoea and weight loss.

Congenital

Present or existing at the time of birth

Corpse

A dead body, especially of a human (see also cadaver).

CT/CAT Scan

Stands for Computerised Tomography or Computed Axial Tomography. a type of scan which records images of sections or ëslicesí of the body using x-rays. These images are then transformed by a computer into cross-sectional pictures.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition in which there is too much glucose (sugar) in the blood because the body cannot use it properly.

Diabetic

Someone who suffers from diabetes and cannot produce enough insulin to absorb the necessary glucose (sugar) needed for respiration and energy production.

Diagnostic

Refers to determining the cause of an illness or disorder.

Educational Psychology

Applying psychology (the study of the human mind and behaviour) to education, especially to problems of teaching and learning.

Electrotherapy

The use of electricity in the treatment of disease.

Fluoroscopy/Fluoroscopic X-ray

A method used to view organ structure and function by passing X-rays through the body and monitoring the resulting image on a fluorescent screen

Forensic

Use of scientific techniques to solve crimes

Freelance

To work on a per-project basis rather than as a full-time employee

Gangrene

Death of a tissue because of a lack of blood supply

Gastro/Gastro-intestinal

The digestive system including the mouth, oesophagus, stomach and intestines.

Gastroenterology

The study of the gastro-intestinal system

Gluten-free dietsy

Removing all wheat, rye, barley, and oat gluten from the diet as a treatment for coeliac disease.

GP

Stands for General Practitioner who is a family doctor, working in the community.

Gynaecology

Concerned with the health and disorders of the female reproductive system including the genital tract and the female hormone system.

Holistic

A health care approach which uses therapies or treatments from many schools of thought to achieve total health for the "whole person".

Hospice

A facility or service which provides supportive care for terminally ill patients and their families.

Insulin

A hormone given out by the pancreas that regulates metabolism and how food is used by the body.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Abnormal muscle movement in the intestines, which causes abdominal pain and irregular bowel movements (diarrhoea, constipation, or both).

Linguistics

The study of the structure and development of a particular language and its relationship to other languages.

Macmillan Nurses

Nurses who improve the quality of life of cancer patients and their families by controlling pain, and providing information and support.

Manual Therapy

Treatment using one's hands

Maxillo-facial

Relates to the jaws and face.

MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging)

A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create high-quality cross-sectional images of the body without using radiation

Multiple Sclerosis - MS

A disease in which the protective coverings (myelin) of nerve fibres in the brain are gradually destroyed; symptoms vary from numbness to paralysis and loss of control of bodily function

Musculoskeletal

Relates to bones, muscles, joints and the associated periarticular tissues (peri = around; articular = of or relating to the joints;).

Neurological

Relates to the nervous system (brain and nerves).

Neuro-ophthalmology

Concerns the nervous system of the eyes

Obstetrics

A specialty of medicine concerned with the management and care of women during pregnancy and birth.

Oesophagus

A long hollow muscular tube that connects the top of the throat to the stomach.

Oncology

The study of diseases that cause cancer.

Opthamologist

Someone who examines and treats diseases of the eyes; involves everything from determining a prescription for glasses, to microsurgery.

Orthotist

A maker and fitter of orthopaedic appliances e.g. hip replacements.

Orthopaedic

Concerned with the correction of deformities of the musculoskeletal system.

Outpatient(s)

Patients that are not hospitalised, but have an appointment to receive medical care.

Paediatrics

Concerned with the health care and treatment of young children.

Paedophiles

People that are sexually attracted to children.

Palliative Care

Health care that concentrates on improving the quality of life of the patient and their family. It focuses on controlling pain and other symptoms, and meeting a person's social, emotional and spiritual needs (compare with radical care).

Pancreas

A long gland located behind the stomach that produces enzymes that help to break down food and hormones (insulin and glucagon) that help to regulate glucose levels in the blood

Pathology

The study of disease

Peripatetic

Moving from place to place for work e.g. piano teachers usually teach in different schools

Phonetics

The study of the sounds used in speech.

Plaster of Paris

Fine white powder which is mixed with water to make a paste/plaster. This plaster is applied to the body around broken bones and sets hard to prevent movement.

Podiatry

Diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the feet, especially those affecting walking.

Podopaediatric

The caring and treatment of children's feet.

Primary care

Basic health care provided by doctors who are in the practice of family care, paediatrics, and internal medicine

Prime Care Trust or PCT

Organisations responsible for commissioning health care services (doctors, dentists, pharmacists, health visitors etc.) for their local community, providing some services and planning what they need in order to deliver health care improvements to their local area.

Professional Executive Committee

A group of doctors and senior managers that makes sure the concerns of healthcare professionals about the needs of the local population are understood by the board that runs the primary care trust.

Psycology

Concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness.

Psycologists

A person who studies the mind and the processes of the mind, especially relating to behaviour and aims to help people with problems in this area.

Radical Care

Health care that concentrates on achieving a cure from the disease (compare with palliative care).

Rehabilitation

Treatment for an injury or illness aimed at restoring physical abilities

Renal

Relating to the kidneys

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

Harmful, painful condition caused by overuse or overexertion of some muscles, usually resulting from repeated work or sports activities. It is characterized by inflammation, pain, or dysfunction of the involved joints, bones, ligaments, and nerves.

Respiratory

Relates to breathing and the system required to take in oxygen (lungs, trachea etc).

Resuscitation

Reviving a person and bringing them back to consciousness.

Rheumatoid arthritis

A common inflammatory disease of the joints. It is a very variable disease; the number and type of joints involved is different in individual patients and the severity and duration of the inflammation also varies.

Rheumatology

A branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Strategic Health Authorities

Organisations within the NHS each covering different regions, aiming to build capacity, encourage improvements and provide support to all the local hospitals and PCTs.

Stroke

Damage to part of the brain because of a lack of blood supply (due to a blockage in an artery) or the rupturing of a blood vessel; leads to complete or partial loss of function in the area of the body that is controlled by the damaged part of the brain

Sure Start

Sure Start is a Government programme which aims to achieve better outcomes for children, parents and communities in terms of health, childcare, emotional support and employment.

Therapeutic

The cure, improvement or management of a disease or injury.

Thoracic

Related to the thorax, the part of the body between the neck and diaphragm

Tumour

An abnormal growth of tissue. It may be localised (benign) or invade nearby tissues (malignant) or distant tissues (metastatic).

Ulcerated

When the skin's surface has developed an open sore

Ultrasound

High-frequency sound waves used in diagnosis and as a type of imaging technique to see safely inside the body.

Urology

Diagnosis and treatment of diseases or disorders of the kidneys, bladder, urethra and of the male reproductive organs. Electromagnetic radiation of very short wavelength and very high energy.

X-ray

Electromagnetic radiation of very short wavelength and very high energy. Also refers to a diagnostic test which uses invisible X-ray beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.