Cuts or Lacerations Glossary of Terms

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Abrasion: An abrasion or "excoriation" is a wearing away of the upper layer of s...

Adjacent: Lying nearby. Related terms include superjacent, subjacent, and circumjacent. Fr...

Anesthetic: A substance that causes lack of feeling or awareness, dulling pain to permit s...

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

Anxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa...

Arms: An appendage in anatomy and in clinical trials. See: Arm.

Artery: A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the far...

Avulsion: Tearing away. A nerve can be avulsed by an injury, as can part of a bone.

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

Bacterium: The singular of bacteria.

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

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

Circulation: In medicine, the movement of fluid through the body in a regular or circuitou...

Clostridium: A group of anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that thrive in the absence of oxygen)...

Connective tissue: A material made up of fibers forming a framework and support structure...

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

Dermatologist: A physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin problems...

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

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Fascia: A flat band of tissue below the skin that covers underlying tissues and separates ...

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

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

Hemorrhagic: Pertaining to bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood.

Hydrogen: The most plentiful element in the universe and one present in all organic compou...

Immunization: Vaccination. Immunizations work by stimulating the immune system, the natur...

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 ...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Keloid: A scar that rises quite abruptly above the rest of the skin. It is irregularly sha...

Laceration: A cut.

Low blood pressure: Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individua...

Medical school: A school with a curriculum leading to a medical degree. The mission of eve...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

Nerve block: A procedure in which an anesthetic agent is injected directly near a nerve to...

Neurological: Having to do with the nerves or the nervous system as, for example, a neurol...

Numb: Numb, or numbness is a loss of the sensation of feeling in an area of the body. Numb...

Ointment: An oil-based preparation that is applied to the skin. Whereas an ointment has an...

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

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Plastic surgeon: A surgeon who specializes in reducing scarring or disfigurement that may ...

Poison: Any substance that can cause severe organ damage or death if ingested, breathed in...

Preventive medicine: Medical practices that are designed to avert and avoid disease. For e...

Pus: A thick, whitish-yellow fluid that results from the accumulation of white blood cells...

Rabies: A potentially fatal viral infection that attacks the central nervous system. Rabie...

Reflex: An involuntary reaction. For example, the corneal reflex is the blink that occurs ...

Saline: Relating to salt. As an adjective, "saline" means "salty, containing salt." As a n...

Shock: In medicine, a critical condition that is brought on by a sudden drop in blood flow...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

Suture: 1. A type of joint between the bones of the skull where the bones are held ...

Syncope: Partial or complete loss of consciousness with interruption of awareness of one...

Tendon: The soft tissue by which muscle attaches to bone. Tendons are somewhat flexible, b...

Tension: 1) The pressure within a vessel, such as blood pressure: the pressure within t...

Tetanus: An often fatal infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tet...

Topical: Pertaining to a particular surface area. For example, a topical agent is applied ...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Vasovagal syncope: The temporary loss of consciousness in a particular kind of situation ...

Viral: Of or pertaining to a virus. For example, if a person has a viral rash, the rash wa...

Viral infection: Infection caused by the presence of a virus in the body. Depending on...

X-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used...