Finger Infection Glossary of Terms

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Abscess: A local accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. The following are some example...

Acyclovir: (Brand name: Zovirax) One of a group of antiviral drugs that acts against the...

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. ...

Antiviral: An agent that kills a virus or that suppresses its ability to replicate and, he...

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

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

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

Blood clot: A mass of coagulated blood. A blood clot can block a major blood vessel, causi...

Bursae: Plural of bursa.

Cellulitis: A spreading bacterial infection underneath the skin surface characterized by r...

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 ...

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...

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

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

Genital herpes: An infection by human herpes virus that is transmitted through intimate co...

Gout: Condition characterized by abnormally elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, rec...

Hematoma: A localized swelling that is filled with blood caused by a break in the wall of ...

Herpes: A family of viruses. Herpes also refers to infection with one of the human herpesv...

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

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

Incision: A cut through skin or other tissue performed by a health care professional.

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...

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

Inpatient: A patient whose care requires a stay in a hospital. As opposed to an outpatient...

Insect sting: A sting from a stinging insect, such as a bee, hornet, yellow jacket, or was...

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

Lesion: An area of abnormal tissue change. Lesions vary in severity from harmless to serio...

Lymph: The almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system, carrying cell...

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

Nail: In medicine, there are two types of nails. One is just a plain old metal nail used t...

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

Onychomycosis: Fungus infection of the nail bed under the fingernails or toenails. Onychom...

Open wound: An injury that is exposed because of broken skin. An open wound is at high ris...

Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

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

Palm: The grasping side of the hand; the flexor surface of the hand. In contrast to the ba...

Paronychia: Inflammation of the folds of tissue surrounding the nail due to infection or i...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Puncture wound: An injury that is caused by a pointed object that pierces or penetrates th...

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

Radial: A word with diverse meanings in medicine and the biomedical sciences:

1. Pe...

Saliva: a watery secretion in the mouth produced by the salivary glands that aids in the d...

Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming...

Sexually transmitted infection: An infection that can be transferred from one person to an...

STD: Sexually transmitted disease.

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

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

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

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

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

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Ulnar: Pertaining to the ulna, the larger bone in the forearm.

Vessel: A tube in the body that carries fluids. Examples of vessels are blood vessels and ...

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...

Virus: A microorganism that is smaller than a bacterium that cannot grow or reproduce apar...

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

Zovirax: Brand name of Acyclovir.