Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
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Achalasia
(a = without, chalas = relaxation, loosening; ia = state or
condition)
Occurs when muscular activity in the oesophagus is disturbed and
the passage of swallowed food is delayed.
Adenoiditis
(adenoid = adenoids, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of the adenoids.
Aerophagia
(aero = air, phagia = swallowing)
Spasmodic swallowing of air followed by eructation.
Alactasia
(a = without, lact = milk, ase = enzyme)
Absence of deficiency of the enzyme lactase which is essential for
the digestion of milk sugars (lactose).
Allergic rhinitis
(rhin = nose, itis = inflammation of)
An allergic reaction to an airborne allergen.
Anaemia
(an = without, aemia = blood)
Lower than normal levels of red blood cells in blood.
Aneurysm
(aneurysm = widening)
A localised balloon-like enlargement of an artery.
Angina
(angin/o = choking, strangling)
A spasmodic choking or suffocating pain. It is usually due to
interference with the supply of oxygen to the heart muscle.
Angina pectoris
(angina = vessel, pectoris = pertaining to the thorax or chest)
Pressure like squeezing pain or tight pressure in the chest usually
centrally located.
Ankyloglossia
(ankyl/o = bent, stiff; gloss = tongue, ia = pertaining to)
Abnormal shortness of lingual frenulum (tongue tied).
Ankylosis
(ankyl = stiff, osis = disease, abnormal condition)
Loss or absence of mobility in a joint.
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
Aphthous stomatitis
(aphth = small ulcer or eruption, ous = pertaining to, stomat =
mouth, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of mouth associated with small ulcer.
Apnoea
(a = without, pnoea = breathing)
Absence of respiration.
Arrhythmia
(a = without, rhythmia = rhythm, ia = state or condition)
Irregular heart beats.
Arthrosynovitis
(arthr/o = joint, synov = synovial, itis = inflammation)
Inflammation of the synovial membrane of a joint.
Asbestosis
(asbest = asbestos, osis = abnormal condition, disease of)
Disease caused by asbestos in the lungs.
Asphyxiation
(asphyx = absence of pulse, ia = state or condition of)
Suffocation; any interruption of breathing that may result in the
loss of consciousness or death.
Asthma
Difficulty in breathing due to allergens, exertion, emotion and
infections.
Atelectasis
(atel = incomplete, ectasis = stretching)
Incomplete expansion of the lung.
Atherosclerosis
(ather/o = plaque, fatty substance; sclerosis = abnormal dryness,
hardness, hardening)
Degeneration of the arteries making them hard and inelastic.
Bronchiectesis
(bronchi = bronchii, ectesis = stretching out)
Widening of the bronchii or their branches. May be congenital or
through infection, from obstruction or either by an inhaled foreign
body or by a growth.
Cardiac arrhythmia
(cardi/o = heart, ac = pertaining to, a = without, rhythmia =
rhythm, ia = state or condition)
Any abnormal heart rhythm.
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
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Cardiomyopathy
(cardi/o = pertaining to the heart, my/o = muscle, pathy = disease)
Progressive heart muscle disease.
Chronic bronchitis
(bronch = bronchii, itis = inflammation of)
Repeated attacks of bronchitis due to allergies, smoking and
noxious gases. Thickened scarred bronchii lead to emphysema.
Cirrhosis
(cirrh = liver, osis = abnormal increase, morbid disease of)
Damage to the liver which becomes hard and enlarged and liver
tissue is replaced by fibrous scar tissue.
Claudication
Limping.
Congestive heart
failure (CHF)
Abnormal fluid retention so the heart is unable to adequately
maintain circulation.
Cyanosis
(cyan = blue, osis = abnormal condition)
Bluish discoloration.
Diphtheria
(diphther = membrane, ia = state or condition of)
Acute infectious disease of throat and upper respiratory tract caused
by diphtheria bacteria.
Diverticulitis
(diverticul = diverticulum, itis = inflammation of)
The inflammation of the diverticulum most commonly of one or
more colon diverticula. Normally due to a low fibre diet. This can
lead to bowel cancer.
Dysphonia
(dys = painful, phonia = sound, voice)
A voice impairment.
Embolism
(embol = something inserted or thrown in; ism = state of,
condition)
Abnormal circulatory condition in which an embolus (blood clot or
particle of matter) travels through the bloodstream and becomes
lodged in a blood vessel.
Emphysema
(emphysema = Greek for ‘an inflation’)
Degeneration of the lungs because of lack of oxygen. Breathlessness,
constant cough, excessive sputum.
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
Empyema
(em = in, py = pus)
Accumulation of pus in pleural cavity.
Endocarditis
(endo = within, in, inside; card = pertaining to the heart, itis =
inflammation)
An infection inside the heart caused by bacteria.
Epistaxis
(epi = above, upon, staxis (stazo) = to fall in drops)
Bleeding from the nose.
Eructation
Act of belching or raising gas orally from the stomach.
Fibrillation
Rapid, random and ineffective contractions of the heart.
Fibroma
(fibr = fibre, oma = tumour of)
Tumour of fibrous tissue.
Fibromyalgia
(fibr/o = fibrous tissue, my = muscle, algia = pertaining to pain)
Produces chronic body-wide pain, which migrates and can be felt
from head to toe. Other symptoms include persistent fatigue,
headaches, cognitive or memory impairment, morning stiffness and
non-restorative sleep. The pain can migrate from day to day.
Gastritis
(gastr = stomach, itis = inflammation of)
Stomach inflammation which can be caused by stress, infections,
drugs, rich diets and allergies.
Gouty arthritis
(arthr = joint, itis = inflammation)
Gout is a form of arthritis in which uric acid crystals are deposited
in the joints
Haematemesis
(haemat = blood, emesis = to vomit)
Vomiting blood.
Haemophilia
(haem/o = blood, philia = increase in numbers)
A group of hereditary bleeding disorders in which there is a lack of
one of the factors needed to clot the blood.
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
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Haemorrhoids (piles)
(haem/o = blood, rrh = flow discharge (rrhoea), oids = like
resembling)
Varicose veins near the anus.
Hepatitis
(hepat = liver, itis = inflammation)
Inflammation of the liver due to viral infection. Transmitted
through food, drink or carrier. Highly infectious.
Hiatal hernia
Protrusion of part of the stomach through the oesophageal opening
in the diaphragm.
Hyperpnoea
(hyper = over, excessive, pnoea = breathing)
Abnormal increase in the depth and rate of the respiratory
movements.
Influenza (‘flu’)
Acute, highly contagious respiratory infection that usually occurs
during the colder months.
Inguinal hernia
Occurs when a small loop of bowel protrudes through a weak place
in the lower abdominal wall or groin.
Ischaemic heart
disease
(isch = to hold back, aemic = relating to blood)
Jaundice
(icterus)
A pathological condition of the myocardium caused by lack of
oxygen reaching the tissue cells.
Yellowish discolouration of the skin and other tissues caused by
large amount of bilirubin in blood.
Kyphosis
(kyph = a hump, osis = disease, abnormal condition)
Hunchback; abnormal increase in outward curvature of thoracic
spine.
Leukaemia
(leuk = white, aemia = blood)
Malignant disease of blood-forming organs, leading to an abnormal
increase in the number of leukocytes.
Lordosis
(lord = bent backward, osis = disease, abnormal condition)
Increase in forward curvature of lumbar spine.
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
Lumbago
(lumb = lumbar, ago = attack, diseased state or condition)
Lower back pain.
Luxation
Dislocation or displacement of a bone from a joint.
Lymphadenitis
(lymph = lymph, aden = glands, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of the lymph nodes which become swollen, painful
and tender.
Lymphadenopathy
(lymph = lymph, aden/o = glands, pathy = disease of)
Disease of the lymph nodes.
Lymphangiectasis
(lymph = lymph, angi = vessel, ectasis = stretching out)
Dilatation of the lymphatic vessels which is usually congenital and
produces enlargement of various parts of the body.
Lymphangioma
(lymph = lymph nodes, angi = relating to blood or lymph vessel,
oma = tumour of)
Benign abnormal collection of lymphatic vessels forming a mass.
Lymphangitis
(lymph = lymph, ang = vessel, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of the lymphatic vessels.
Lymphoedema
(lymph = lymph, oedema = swelling)
Accumulation of interstitial fluid in the lymph causing swelling.
The legs are most affected.
Lymphoma
(lymph = lymph, oma = tumour)
A malignant tumour of the lymph nodes.
Melaena
Passing black stools containing blood.
Mononucleosis
(mono = single, nucle = nucleus, osis = abnormal condition of)
Large number of atypical lymphocytes caused by the Epstein Barr
virus.
Muscular dystrophy
(muscular = muscles, dys = painful, trophy = relating to
development, nutrition)
A group of inherited diseases characterised by progressive weakness
and degeneration of muscle fibres without nervous system
involvement.
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
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Myocardial infarction
(my/o = muscle, cardi/o = heart, al = pertaining to)
An occlusion of a coronary artery (artery to heart) resulting in a
necrotic (dead) area of the myocardium (heart muscle). Commonly
called a heart attack.
Myocarditis
(my/o = muscle, card = pertaining to the heart, itis =
inflammation)
Inflammation of the muscular walls of the heart.
Myodystrophia
(Muscular dystrophy)
(my/o = muscle, dys = painful, troph = nourishment/nutrition
related, ia = abnormal condition)
A serious disease of the muscular system which is crippling and
characterised by slow deterioration and weakening of skeletal
muscle. Recovery does not occur.
Myoparalysis
(my/o = muscle, para = besides, lysis = loosening, separating)
Paralysis of the muscles.
Myoparesis
(my/o = muscle, par = to disable, esis = state or condition of)
A weakness or slight paralysis of a muscle.
Myosarcoma
(my/o = muscle, sarc = flesh, connective tissue; oma = tumour)
A malignant tumour of the muscle.
Nausea
Sensation that leads to the urge to vomit.
Oesophageal varices
Enlarged and swollen veins at the lower end of the oesophagus.
Osteitis
(oste = bone, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of the bone.
Osteoarthritis or
osteoarthrosis
(oste/o = bone, arthr = joint, itis = inflammation of) or
(oste/o – bone, arthr = joint, osis = disease of)
A very common condition affecting the joints, often described as
‘wear and tear’ arthritis. This can start in our teens and gets worse
as we grow older.
Osteodystrophy
(oste/o = bone, dys = painful, trophy = waste)
Defective bone formation.
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
Osteofluorosis
(oste/o = bone, fluor = fluoride, osis = a morbid state, state or
condition of)
A condition where skeletal changes occur due to the excessive intake
of fluorides.
Osteoma
(oste/o = bone, oma = tumour)
A benign slow growing bone tumour.
Osteomalacia
(oste/o = bone, malacia = softening of)
A condition where the bones become soft. This softening occurs
from a loss of the mineral calcium from the skeleton. The bones
become flexible and gradually are moulded by forces (eg bearing
weight) that are exerted on them. Deformities can then result.
When osteomalacia occurs in children, it is called rickets.
Osteomyelitis
(oste/o = bone, myel = marrow, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of bone and bone marrow.
Osteopetrosis
(oste/o = bone, petr = stone, osis = a state or condition of)
A rare genetic disease characterised by abnormally dense bone due
to defective resorption (absorbing again)of immature bone.
Osteoporosis
(oste/o = bone, por = passage, osis = abnormal condition of)
The major disease of the skeletal system. It is mainly due to bad
nutrition. It is characterised by a decrease in the amount of bone,
often so severe that it leads to fractures.
Palpitation
A pounding or racing heart.
Pancreatitis
(pancreat = pancreas, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of the pancreas due to excessive alcohol intake, injury
or accident. Digestive enzymes will leak out of the pancreas and
start dissolving the pancreas, the intestine and other internal organs.
Paralysis
(para = abnormal, lysis = destruction)
Loss of sensation and voluntary muscle movements. It may be
temporary or permanent.
Paraplegia
(para = abnormal, plegia = paralysis)
Paralysis of both legs and lower part of the body.
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
(
Paroxysmal
tachycardia
Pericarditis
(paroxysmal = recurrent attack, tachy = fast, cardia = heart)
Fast heartbeat of sudden onset.
(peri = surrounding, card = pertaining to the heart, itis =
inflammation)
Inflammation of the pericardium, the fibrous sack in which the
heart is contained.
Pertussis (whooping
cough)
(pertus = intensive cough, (o)sis = abnormal condition)
Phlebitis
(phleb = vein, itis = inflammation of)
Contagious bacterial infection of upper respiratory tract
characterised by sudden spasm-like cough.
Inflammation of a vein.
Pleural effusion
Accumulation of fluid in pleural cavity.
Pleurisy or pleuritis
(pleur = pleura, itis = inflammation of)
An inflammation of visceral and parietal pleura.
Pneumoconiosis
(pneum/o = relating to the lungs, osis = abnormal condition)
Abnormal conditions caused by dust in the lungs.
Pneumonia
(pneumon = relating to the lungs, ia = state or condition of)
Acute inflammation of the lungs.
Pneumonitis
(pneumon = air, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of the lung that is confined to the walls of the air sacs
(alveoli), often caused by a virus.
Pneumothorax
(pneum/o = relating to the lungs, thorax = relating to the thorax)
Accumulation of air or gas in the pleural space causing the lung to
collapse.
Polymyositis
(poly = many, myos = muscles, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of several muscles at once. The most common
symptom is muscle weakness, usually affecting those muscles that
are closest to the trunk of the body (proximal).
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
Porphyria
(porphy = porphyrins, (ur) = urine, ia = abnormal condition or
state of)
Normally an inherited condition. The urine turns purple upon
settling. Metabolism disturbance. Excessive porphyrins.
Psittacosis
(psittac = parrot, osis = disease, abnormal condition)
An infectious parrot disease transmitted to humans causing
headache, nose bleeds, fever and lung inflammations.
Pyrosis (heartburn)
(pyr = fire, osis = abnormal condition)
Discomfort due to regurgitation of stomach acid contents into
oesophagus.
Quadriplegia
(quadri = four, plegia = paralysis)
Paralysis of all four limbs.
Rheumatoid arthritis
(rheum/o = a watery flow, subject to flow; at = toward, oid = like,
resembling; arthr = joint, itis = inflammation of)
Chronic systemic disease affecting the connective tissues and joints
in which joints are swollen and painful.
Rickets
Demineralised bones with bone deformities.
Scoliosis
(scoli/o = twisted, crooked, osis = abnormal condition)
Abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.
Septicaemia
(sept = infection, ic = pertaining to, aemia = blood)
Presence of pathogenic micro-organisms or their toxins in blood.
Singultus (hiccups)
Characteristic sound caused by the involuntary contraction of the
diaphragm.
Spina bifida
(spina = spine, bifida = cleft in two parts or branches)
Congenital failure of non-union of the laminae of vertebrae.
Spondylisthesis
(spondyl = vertebra, is = same, equal; the = put, place; esis =
abnormal condition)
Partial displacement of one vertebra over the one below it.
Spondylosis
(spondyl = vertebra, osis = abnormal condition, abnormal disease)
Degenerative condition of the spine
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Introductory Medical Terminology
Diseases – Combined List
(
Tachycardia
(tachy = fast, rapid, cardia = pertaining to the heart)
Abnormally rapid increase in the heart and pulse rate.
Tendinitis
(tendin = tendon, itis = inflammation of)
Inflammation of a tendon.
Thrombosis
(thromb = clot, osis = abnormal condition, disease)
Development of a blood clot within a blood vessel.
Torticollis
(tort/i = twisted, collis = neck)
Stiffness of neck due to spasmodic contraction of
sternocleidomastoid muscle.
Transient ischaemic
attack (TIA)
(isch = to hold back, aemic = relating to blood)
Tuberculosis
(tubercul = tubercles, osis = disease, abnormal condition)
Temporary interruption in the blood supply to the brain.
Bacterial infection which will infect any part of the body but
especially the lungs caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Upper respiratory
infection
Upper respiratory infection and acute nasopharyngitis are among
the terms used to describe the common cold.
Varicose veins
Abnormal swollen veins usually occurring in the legs.
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