Guillain-Barre Syndrome Glossary of Terms

1. Dementia Slideshow Pictures
2. Alzheimer's Disease Slideshow Pictures
3. Brain Foods Slideshow Pictures

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

Acute idiopathic polyneuritis: Also known as the Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disorder chara...

Airway: The path that air follows to get into and out of the lungs. The mouth and nose are...

Analysis: In psychology, a term for conversation-based therapeutic processes used to gain ...

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

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

Botulism: An uncommon but potentially very serious illness, a type of food poisoning, that...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

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

Cerebrospinal fluid: A watery fluid that is continuously produced and absorbed and that fl...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

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

Cranial: 1. Pertaining to the cranium or skull. 2. Toward the head. As oppo...

Cranial nerves: The nerves of the brain, which emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium...

Demyelination: A degenerative process that erodes away the myelin sheath that normally pr...

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

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

Epstein-Barr virus: A virus in the herpes family that is best known as the cause of infect...

Extremity: An uttermost part of the body, such as a hand or a foot.

Flu: Short for influenza. The flu is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract w...

Gait: A manner of walking. Observation of gait can provide early diagnostic clues for a nu...

Guillain-Barré syndrome: A disorder characterized by progressive symmetrical paraly...

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

Heparin: An anticoagulant (anti-clotting) medication. Heparin is useful in preventing thro...

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

Herpesvirus: One of a family of viruses that contain DNA and that cause infections in huma...

Idiopathic: Of unknown cause. Any disease that is of uncertain or unknown origin may be te...

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

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

Immunity: The condition of being immune. Immunity can be innate'for example, humans are in...

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 ...

Joint: The area where two bones are attached for the purpose of permitting body parts to m...

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

Lumbar: Referring to the five lumbar vertebrae, the disks below them, and the correspondin...

Lumbar puncture: A procedure in which cerebrospinal fluid is removed from the spinal canal...

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Membrane: A very thin layer of tissue that covers a 'surface.

Microscopic: So small it cannot be seen without the aid of microscope. As opposed to macro...

Mumps: An acute (sudden, shortlived) viral illness that usually presents with inflammation...

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

Myasthenia gravis: An autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is characterized by fatigue a...

Myelin: The fatty substance that covers and protects nerves. Myelin is a layered tissue th...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

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

Neuropathy: Any disease or malfunction of the nerves.

Oxygenation: The addition of oxygen to any system, including the human body. Oxygenation m...

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

Paralysis: Loss of voluntary movement (motor function). Paralysis that affects only one mu...

Pediatrics: The field of medicine that is concerned with the health of infants, children, ...

Peripheral: Situated away from the center, as opposed to centrally located.

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

Physical therapy: A branch of rehabilitative health that uses specially designed exercises...

Plasma: The liquid part of the blood and lymphatic fluid, which makes up about half of the...

Plasmapheresis: A procedure in which whole blood is taken from a person and separated into...

Probability: The likelihood that something will happen. For example, a probability of less...

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Protein: One of the three nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Protein...

Pulse: The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart. Pulse is...

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Respiratory failure: Inability of the lungs to perform their basic task of gas exchange, t...

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

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

Spinal tap: Also known as a lumbar puncture or "LP", a spinal tap is a procedure whereby ...

Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

Supportive care: Treatment given to prevent, control, or relieve complications and side ef...

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

Sweating: The act of secreting fluid from the skin by the sweat (sudoriferous) glands. The...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Tachycardia: A rapid heart rate, usually defined as greater than 100 beats per minute.

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

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

Thiamine: Vitamin B1. Thiamine (vitamin B1) acts as a coenzyme in the metabolism of the bo...

Throat: The throat is the anterior (front) portion of the neck beginning at the back of th...

Vaccination: Injection of a killed microbe in order to stimulate the immune system against...

Ventilator: A machine that mechanically assists a patient in the exchange of oxygen and ca...

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...