Key Medical Terms and Definitions

Ophthalmology (Eye-Related Terms)

• Myopia: Nearsightedness; a condition where close objects are seen clearly, but distant objects appear blurred.

• Strabismus: Misalignment of the eyes; the eyes do not look in the same direction at the same time.

• Cataract: Clouding of the lens of the eye, leading to decreased vision.

• Retinopathy: Any disease of the retina, often related to diabetes or hypertension.

• Anisocoria: Unequal pupil sizes.

• Blepharitis: Inflammation of the eyelid margins.

• Accommodation: The process by which the eye adjusts to focus on near or distant objects.

• Miotic: An agent that causes the pupil to constrict.

• Miosis: Constriction of the pupil.

• Orthoptics: The study and treatment of defective eye movement and coordination.

• Photophobia: Sensitivity to light.

• Presbyopia: Age-related loss of the eye's ability to focus on close objects.

• Tonometry: The measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP), important in glaucoma screening.

Otolaryngology (Ear-Related Terms)

• Tinnitus: Ringing or buzzing noise in one or both ears that may be constant or intermittent.

• Vertigo: A sensation of spinning or dizziness, often related to inner ear disorders.

• Labyrinth: The inner ear structure involved in hearing and balance.

• Tympanic: Pertaining to the tympanum (eardrum).

• Otoscope: An instrument used to examine the ear canal and eardrum.

• Otalgia: Ear pain.

• Otolaryngologist: A physician specializing in diseases of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT).

• Tympanitis: Inflammation of the tympanic membrane (eardrum).

Psychiatric and Neurological Terms

• Agoraphobia: Fear of open or public spaces.

• Apathy: Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

• Delirium: Acute confusion with disorientation, often reversible.

• Dementia: Chronic, progressive loss of cognitive function.

• Dissociation: A mental process of disconnecting from one's thoughts, feelings, or sense of identity.

• Neurotic: Relating to neurosis, a mild mental disorder not arising from organic disease.

• Psychosomatic: Pertaining to physical symptoms caused or aggravated by mental factors.

• Psychotropic: Drugs that affect mental activity, behavior, or perception.

Gynecology and Obstetrics Terms

• Dysmenorrhea: Painful menstruation.

• Dyspareunia: Painful sexual intercourse.

• Menarche: The first menstrual period.

• Menorrhagia: Excessive menstrual bleeding.

• Oogenesis: The formation and development of an ovum (egg cell).

Andrology (Male Reproductive System) Terms

• Anorchism: Absence of one or both testes.

• Orchiditis: Inflammation of one or both testicles.

• Testicular: Pertaining to the testis or testicle.

General Medical Terms

• Antibiotics: Drugs used to treat bacterial infections.

Combining Forms and Their Meanings

• Psych/o: Mind

• Mamm/o: Breast

• Audi/o: Hearing

• Gynec/o: Woman, female

• Blephar/o: Eyelid

• Rhin/o: Nose

• Orch/o: Testis

• Cephal/o: Head

• Electr/o: Electricity

• Mening/o: Meninges (membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)

• Somn/o: Sleep

• Tympan/o: Eardrum

• Ot/o: Ear

• Agor/a: Marketplace, open space

• My/o: Muscle

• Rect/o: Rectum

• Phren/o: Diaphragm, mind

• Balan/o: Glans penis

• Agor/o: Marketplace, open space

• Schiz/o: Split, division

Suffixes and Their Meanings

• -genesis: Formation, origin

• -logy: Study of

• -cele: Hernia, swelling, protrusion

• -oid: Resembling

• -opia: Vision condition

• -ptosis: Drooping, prolapse

• -algesia: Sensitivity to pain

• -esthesia: Sensation, feeling

• -tic: Pertaining to

• -phobia: Fear of

• -al: Pertaining to

• -cele: Hernia, swelling, protrusion

• -scope: Instrument for viewing

• -ism: Condition, process

• -form: Shape, form

• -phobia: Fear of

• -ism: Condition, process

• -mania: Obsession, madness

Prefixes and Their Meanings

• Retro-: Backward, behind

• Par-: Near, beside, abnormal

• End-: Within, inner

• Hemi-: Half

• An-: Without, not

• Bi-: Two

• Peri-: Around, surrounding

• Hyster-: Uterus (womb)

• Intra-: Within

• Hydro-: Water

• Pyro-: Fire, fever

Common Abbreviations (Chapters 13-18)

Additional info:

• Some terms (e.g., orthoptics, tonometry) are diagnostic or therapeutic procedures relevant to the special senses chapters.

• Abbreviations are commonly used in clinical documentation and medical records.

• Combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes are foundational for constructing and understanding medical terms.