Medical terms your doctor uses that you may not know

Have you ever been in the situation where your doctor explains a test result to you, and as you listen closely to his words, you realize you have no clue what he is saying.

It may be intimidating for many to ask a physician to explain some medical jargon that they don’t understand, but you should ask them! That’s what a doctor’s job is all about – helping others.

Here are some of the most common medical terms that doctors need to explain to their patient…

ACUTE: An acute illness refers to one that hits you suddenly but only lasts a short time. This is as opposed to “chronic,” which refers to something you’ll have for a long time.

HYPERLIPIDEMIA: This is basically just a fancy word for too many lipids (fat) in your blood.

ANGINA: Chest pain or discomfort you get when your heart muscle does not get enough blood. It is a symptom of coronary artery disease, the most common heart disease.

HYPERGLYCEMIA and HYPOGLYCEMIA: When you are hyperglycemic your blood glucose (sugar) level is too high. When you’re hypoglycemic, your blood sugar level is too low.

DYSURIA: If you have this, you’ll know what it is. It refers to painful or difficult urination.

MORBIDITY vs. MORTALITY: Patients can easily confuse these words. Morbidity refers to the incidence or prevalence of a disease. Mortality refers to the death rate.

GERD: Simple translation – heartburn!

NEUTROPHILS: It is the most common type of white blood cell which protects the body against disease and fights infections.

CELLULITIS: This is when the tissue beneath your skin becomes infected and inflamed.

IN REMISSION: This means that a disease is not worsening or progressing. It is not the same thing as a cure.

Sometimes understanding medical terms can be like trying to read a terms and conditions agreement, but you can’t make sense of it so you just click the “I accept” button. Hopefully these explanations will help you out in the future! 

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