Candidiasis (Yeast Infection, Candida) Glossary of Terms

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Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the...

Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness th...

Antibiotic: A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms. ...

Antifungal: A medication that limits or prevents the growth of yeasts and other fungal org...

Antifungal agent: A drug used to treat fungal infections.

Anus: The opening of the rectum to the outside of the body.

Appendicitis: Inflammation of the appendix, usually associated with infection of the appen...

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

Bacterial: Of or pertaining to bacteria, as in a bacterial lung infection.

Bacterial vaginosis: A vaginal condition characterized by an abnormal vaginal discharge du...

Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope to check for ...

Birth control: Birth control is the use of any practices, methods, or devices to prevent p...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breast bone: Familiar name for the sternum, the long flat bone in the middle of the front ...

Breastfeeding: Feeding a child human breast milk. According to the American Academy of Ped...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

Candida albicans: A yeast-like fungal organism found in small amounts in the normal human...

Candidiasis: Disease caused by the yeast Candida albicans. Candida albicans can cause vagi...

Catheter: A thin, flexible tube.

Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

Cheek: The side of the face, which forms the side wall of the mouth. The cheekbone is part...

Chemotherapy: 1. In the original sense, a chemical that binds to and specifically k...

Chills: feelings of coldness accompanied by shivering. Chills may develop after exposure t...

Chlamydia: The agent of a sexually transmitted disease, a type of bacteria found in the ce...

CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

Cuts: Severed skin. Washing a cut or scrape with soap and water and keeping it clean and d...

Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Diaper rash: An inflammatory reaction localized to the area of skin usually covered by the...

Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vag...

Douche: Usually, a stream of water applied into the vagina for cleansing purposes. A douch...

Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.

Esophagitis: Inflammation of the esophagus.

Esophagus: The tube that connects the pharynx (throat) with the stomach. The esophagus lie...

Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

Fingernail: A fingernail is produced by living skin cells in the finger. A fingernail cons...

Fungal: Pertaining to a fungus. For example, a fungal skin infection.

Fungi: Plural of fungus.

Fungus: A single-celled or multicellular organism. Fungi can be true pathogens (such as hi...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

Genital: Pertaining to the external and/or internal organs of reproduction.

Gonorrhea: A bacterial infection that is transmitted by sexual contact. Gonorrhea is one o...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular ...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on ...

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Leukemia: Cancer of the blood cells. Strictly speaking, leukemia should refer only to canc...

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

Malaise: A vague feeling of discomfort, one that cannot be pinned down but is often sensed...

Menopause: The time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop; it is also...

Menstruation: The periodic blood that flows as a discharge from the uterus. Also called me...

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

Monilia: A yeast-like fungus now called Candida.

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Mucous: Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the b...

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Oral candidiasis: Yeast infection of the mouth and throat caused by the fungus Candida alb...

Organ: A relatively independent part of the body that carries out one or more special func...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Palate: The roof of the mouth. The front portion is bony (hard palate), and the back porti...

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

Penis: The external male sex organ. The penis contains two chambers, the corpora cavernosa...

Potassium: The major positive ion (cation) found inside cells. The chemical notation for p...

Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Rash: Breaking out (eruption) of the skin. A rash can be caused by an underlying medical c...

Recur: To occur again; to return. For example, a symptom, sign, or disease can recur.

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Rule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera...

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

Speculum: An instrument that is used to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix...

Sperm: A sperm is the male "gamete" or sex cell. It combines with the female &qu...

Spleen: An organ that is located in the upper-left part of the abdomen, not far from the s...

STD: Sexually transmitted disease.

Sternum: The long flat bone in the upper middle of the front of the chest. The sternum art...

Steroid: One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon struc...

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

Superficial: In anatomy, on the surface or shallow. As opposed to deep. The skin is superf...

Swallowing tube: Descriptive term for the esophagus. See: Esophagus.

Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

Systemic: Affecting the entire body. A systemic disease such as diabetes can affect the wh...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Thrush: Yeast infection of the mouth and throat, characterized by patches of white, caused...

Tongue: A strong muscle that is anchored to the floor of the mouth. The tongue is covered ...

Trichomoniasis: Infection with trichomonas, in humans with Trichomonas vaginalis.

Troche: A small medicated lozenge designed to dissolve. For example, to soothe the throat ...

Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Uterus: A hollow, pear-shaped organ that is located in a woman's lower abdomen, between th...

Vagina: The muscular canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is ...

Vaginal discharge: Vaginal discharge is a fluid produced by glands in the vaginal wall and...

Vaginal yeast infection: Infection of the vagina caused by a fungus known as Candida...

Vaginitis: Inflammation of the vagina. The vagina is the muscular canal extending from th...

Yeast infection: Overgrowth of yeast can affect the skin (yeast rash), mouth (thrush), di...