Medical Terminology – Define it

What is medical terminology. It is the language of medicine. Doctors, PA’s, Nurses, all health care professionals communicate in this language. It consists of precise words – either a prefix or a suffix connected to a root word dealing with the system affected or being studied. Usually with the prefix or suffix, it is either/or but not usually both. Of course as soon as I write that I can think of exceptions.

You already know many medical terms. You have read about them, been diagnosed yourself or know people with a diagnosis. You just don’t have formal training yet. Let me prove it to you.

Here are some headlines I pulled off of CNN health:

After the mammogram storm, what should women do? Did you know what the word Mammogram meant?

How about this one word headline? Meningitis You kind of know that one and where it occurs right?

How about this dreaded illness – carcinoma you recognize that one I bet.

This is a type of carcinoma – melanoma – where does it usually occur?

Do you know what systems these words refer to :

Cardiovascular, Pulmonary, Thrombophlebitis, Varicose Veins, Hemorrhoids, Vasculitis, Appendicitis

OK, so you recognize some of these. We will come back to them in later lessons. But you know more than you think already.

If you want to learn more from me, you have to become a $5 a week member – look under membership benefits above. Weeks 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 will contain lessons in terminology.