| Medical Dictionary |
A Medical Dictionary of Medical Terminology
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A1C is a blood test for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. It measures your average blood glucose, or blood sugar, level over the past 3 months. Doctors may use the A1C alone or in combination with other diabetes tests to make a diagnosis. They also use the A1C to see how well you are managing your diabetes. This test is different from the blood sugar checks that people with diabetes do every day.
Your A1C test result is given in percentages. The higher the percentage, the higher your blood sugar levels have been:
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Your abdomen extends from below your chest to your groin. Some people call it the stomach, but your abdomen contains many other important organs. Pain in the abdomen can come from any one of them. The pain may start somewhere else, such as your chest. Severe pain doesn't always mean a serious problem. Nor does mild pain mean a problem is not serious.
Call your health care provider if mild pain lasts a week or more or if you have pain with other symptoms. Get medical help immediately if:
An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It can be done two different ways:
If you are thinking of having an abortion, talk with your health care provider. Your provider can explain how the procedures are done, as well as the risks and benefits of each.
An abscess is a pocket of pus. You can get an abscess almost anywhere in your body. When an area of your body becomes infected, your body's immune system tries to fight the infection. White blood cells go to the infected area, collect within the damaged tissue, and cause inflammation. During this process, pus forms. Pus is a mixture of living and dead white blood cells, germs, and dead tissue.
Bacteria, viruses, parasites and swallowed objects can all lead to abscesses. Skin abscesses are easy to detect. They are red, raised and painful. Abscesses inside your body may not be obvious and can damage organs, including the brain, lungs and others. Treatments include drainage and antibiotics.
Acne is a common skin disease that causes pimples. Pimples form when hair follicles under your skin clog up. Most pimples form on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders. Anyone can get acne, but it is common in teenagers and young adults. It is not serious, but it can cause scars.
No one knows exactly what causes acne. Hormone changes, such as those during the teenage years and pregnancy, probably play a role. There are many myths about what causes acne. Chocolate and greasy foods are often blamed, but there is little evidence that foods have much effect on acne in most people. Another common myth is that dirty skin causes acne; however, blackheads and pimples are not caused by dirt. Stress doesn't cause acne, but stress can make it worse.
If you have acne:
Treatments for acne include medicines and creams.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
An acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that develops on the nerve that connects the ear to the brain. The tumor usually grows slowly. As it grows, it presses against the hearing and balance nerves. At first, you may have no symptoms or mild symptoms. They can include:
The tumor can also eventually cause numbness or paralysis of the face. If it grows large enough, it can press against the brain, becoming life-threatening.
Acoustic neuroma can be difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms are similar to those of middle ear problems. Ear exams, hearing tests, and scans can show if you have it.
If the tumor stays small, you may only need to have it checked regularly. If you do need treatment, surgery and radiation are options.
If the tumors affect both hearing nerves, it is often because of a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis.
NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders
Acupuncture has been practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years. Acupuncture involves stimulating specific points on the body. This is most often done by inserting thin needles through the skin, to cause a change in the physical functions of the body.
Research has shown that acupuncture reduces nausea and vomiting after surgery and chemotherapy. It can also relieve pain. Researchers don't fully understand how acupuncture works. It might aid the activity of your body's pain-killing chemicals. It also might affect how you release chemicals that regulate blood pressure and flow.
NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to your lungs. It causes a cough that often brings up mucus. It can also cause shortness of breath, wheezing, a low fever, and chest tightness. There are two main types of bronchitis: acute and chronic.
Most cases of acute bronchitis get better within several days. But your cough can last for several weeks after the infection is gone.
The same viruses that cause colds and the flu often cause acute bronchitis. These viruses spread through the air when people cough, or though physical contact (for example, on unwashed hands). Being exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, dusts, vapors, and fumes can also cause acute bronchitis. Less often, bacteria can also cause acute bronchitis.
To diagnose acute bronchitis, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and listen to your breathing. You may also have other tests.
Treatments include rest, fluids, and aspirin (for adults) or acetaminophen to treat fever. A humidifier or steam can also help. You may need inhaled medicine to open your airways if you are wheezing. Antibiotics won't help if the cause is viral. You may get antibiotics if the cause is bacterial.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a neurologic disease. It is rare, but serious. It affects an area of the spinal cord called gray matter. This can cause the muscles and reflexes in the body to become weak.
Because of these symptoms, some people call AFM a "polio-like" illness. But it is different from polio. AFM is not caused by polioviruses.
What causes acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?AFM can be caused by several different viruses. Researchers think that enteroviruses have been causing the recent increases in the number of children with AFM. AFM can also be caused by other viruses, including flaviviruses, herpesviruses, and adenoviruses.
Most people with AFM had a mild respiratory illness or fever (like you would get from a viral infection) before they got AFM.
Who is more likely to develop acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?Anyone can get AFM, but most cases (more than 90%) have been in young children.
What are the symptoms of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?Most people with AFM will suddenly have:
Some people also have other symptoms, including:
Sometimes AFM can weaken the muscles that you need for breathing. This can lead to respiratory failure, which is very serious. If you get respiratory failure, you may need to use a ventilator (breathing machine) to help you breathe.
If you or your child develops any of these symptoms, get medical care right away.
How is acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) diagnosed?AFM causes many of the same symptoms as other neurologic diseases, such as transverse myelitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome. This can make it difficult to diagnose. To find out if you have AFM, your doctor may use:
It is important that the tests are done as soon as possible after the symptoms start.
What are the treatments for acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)?There is no specific treatment for AFM. A doctor who specializes in treating brain and spinal cord illnesses (neurologist) may recommend treatments for specific symptoms. For example, physical and/or occupational therapy may help with arm or leg weakness. Researchers do not know the long-term outcomes of people who get AFM.
Can acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) be prevented?There is no specific way to prevent AFM. But you can take steps to prevent getting sick from a virus by:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Leukemia is a term for cancers of the blood cells. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissues such as the bone marrow. Your bone marrow makes the cells which will develop into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Each type of cell has a different job:
When you have leukemia, your bone marrow makes large numbers of abnormal cells. This problem most often happens with white blood cells. These abnormal cells build up in your bone marrow and blood. They crowd out the healthy blood cells and make it hard for your cells and blood to do their work.
What is acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a type of acute leukemia. It's also called ALL and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. "Acute" means that it usually gets worse quickly if it's not treated. ALL is the most common type of cancer in children. It can also affect adults.
In ALL, the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. These cells normally help your body fight infection. But in ALL, they are abnormal and cannot fight infection very well. They also crowd out the healthy cells, which can lead to infection, anemia, and easy bleeding. These abnormal cells can also spread to other parts of the body, including the brain and spinal cord.
What causes acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?ALL happens when there are changes in the genetic material (DNA) in bone marrow cells. The cause of these genetic changes is unknown. However, there are certain factors that raise your risk of ALL.
Who is at risk for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?The factors that raise your risk of ALL include:
The signs and symptoms of ALL include:
Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose ALL and figure out which subtype you have:
If you are diagnosed with ALL, you may have additional tests to see whether the cancer has spread. These include imaging tests and a lumbar puncture, which is a procedure to collect and test cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
What are the treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?Treatments for ALL include:
Treatment is usually done in two phases:
Treatment during both phases also usually includes central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis therapy. This therapy helps prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord. It may be high dose chemotherapy or chemotherapy injected into the spinal cord. It also sometimes includes radiation therapy.
NIH: National Cancer Institute