Men's Health Glossary of Terms

1. Impotence (ED) Slideshow Pictures
2. Sex Drive Killers: Causes of Low Libido Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the Low Testosterone Quiz

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 aortic aneurysm: A balloon-like swelling in the wall of the aorta within the abd...

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

Acellular: Not made up of cells or divided into cells. Or lacking intact cells as, for ex...

Acne: Localized skin inflammation as a result of overactivity of the oil glands at the ba...

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

Aging: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environ...

Albuginea: Tough white fibrous tissue. The tunica albuginea of the testis, for example, is...

Alzheimer's disease: A progressive degenerative disease of the brain that leads to dementi...

American Academy of Pediatrics: AAP. Its member pediatricians "dedicate their efforts and ...

Aneurysm: A localized widening (dilatation) of an artery, a vein, or the heart. At the poi...

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

Aortic: Pertaining to the aorta, the largest artery in the body.

Aortic aneurysm: An outpouching (a local widening) of the largest artery in the body, the ...

Apnea: The absence of breathing (respiration).

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Asthma: A common lung disorder in which inflammation causes the bronchi to swell and narro...

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

Balanoposthitis: In the uncircumcised male, balanitis (inflammation of the glans, the roun...

Benign: Not malignant. A benign tumor is one that does not invade surrounding tissue or sp...

Benign prostatic hyperplasia: A common, noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. Th...

Bladder: A hollow organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. The kidneys filter waste f...

Blood glucose: The main sugar that the body makes from the food in the diet. Glucose is ca...

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

BPH: Benign prostatic hyperplasia, benign prostatic hypertrophy.

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

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

Cancer of the cervix: See: Cervical cancer.

CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US agency charged with tracking a...

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

Cervix: The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb). The uterus, a hollow, ...

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

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chewing tobacco: Tobacco that is chewed, not smoked. A form of smokeless tobacco.

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

Cholesterol: The most common type of steroid in the body. Cholesterol has a reputation for...

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

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: COPD. Any disorder that persistently obstructs bron...

Circumcision: Surgery that removes the foreskin (the loose tissue) covering the glans of t...

Cirrhosis: Liver disease characterized by irreversible scarring. Alcohol and viral hepatit...

Cocaine: A substance derived from the leaves of the coca plant that is a bitter, addictive...

Colitis: Inflammation of the large intestine (the colon). There are many forms of coliti...

Colon: The long, coiled, tubelike organ that removes water from digested food. The remaini...

Colon cancer: A malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine (the co...

Colonoscopy: A procedure whereby a physician inserts a viewing tube (colonoscope) into the...

Colorectal: Related to the colon and/or rectum.

Colorectal cancer: A malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine (t...

Coma: A state of deep, unarousable unconsciousness. A coma may occur as a result of head t...

COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Any disorder that persistently obstructs bron...

Corpora cavernosa: Two chambers that run the length of the penis and are filled with spong...

Cryotherapy: Literally, "cold therapy." Cryotherapy, sometimes referred to as cryosurgery,...

Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way...

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 ...

Diastolic: Referring to the time when the heart is in a period of relaxation and dilatatio...

Diphtheria: An acute infectious upper respiratory tract disease that affects the throat. I...

Drain: A device for removing fluid from a cavity or wound. A drain is typically a tube or ...

Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.

Ejaculate: To ejaculate is to release semen during an orgasm in a male.

Ejaculation: Ejection of sperm and seminal fluid during an orgasm in a male.

Endocrine: Pertaining to hormones and the glands that make and secrete them into the blood...

Erectile dysfunction: A consistent inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual ...

Exacerbate: To make worse. For example, smoking may exacerbate lung disease.

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

Fats: Plural of the word "fat". See the definition of fat.

Feedback: Many biologic processes are controlled by feedback, just as the temperature in a...

Fertile: Able to conceive and bear offspring. Also known as fecund.

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

Flu shot: The flu (influenza) vaccine is recommended annually (each year) for persons at ...

Foreskin: The fold of skin which covers the head (the glans) of the penis. Also called th...

Gastroesophageal: Pertaining to both the stomach and the esophagus, as in the gastroesopha...

Gastroesophageal reflux: The return of stomach contents back up into the esophagus This fr...

Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic
information.

GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Gland: A group of cells that secrete a substance for use in the body. For example, the thy...

Glans: 1) The glans penis, the rounded head of the penis. 2) The rounded head of the clit...

Glaucoma: A common eye condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eyes rises becaus...

Glucose: The simple sugar that is the chief source of energy. Glucose is found in the bloo...

Gynecomastia: Excessive development of the male breasts. Temporary enlargement of the brea...

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

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Hemorrhage: Bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood.

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

Herpes zoster: Also called shingles, zona, and zoster. The culprit is the varicella-zoster...

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

HIV: Acronym for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodefi...

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

Hormone therapy: Treatment of disease or symptoms with synthetic or naturally derived horm...

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

Hyperplasia: An increase in the number of normal cells in a tissue or an organ. Hyperplasi...

Hypogonadism: A condition in which decreased production of gonadal hormones leads to below...

Hypothalamus: The area of the brain that secretes substances that influence pituitary and ...

Impotence: A common problem among men characterized by the consistent inability to sustai...

Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa...

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

Infant: A young baby, from birth to 12 months of age.

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

Infertile: Not able to conceive after a year of regular intercourse without contraception.

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

Influenza: The flu is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract which are divide...

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

Iron: An essential mineral. Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen (via hemoglobin ...

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

Libido: 1. Sexual drive. 2. In psychoanalysis, the psychic energy from all ...

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

Low testosterone: Abnormally low levels of the male sex hormone testosterone in the blood....

Lung cancer: Cancer of the major organ of respiration - the lung. Lung cancer kills more m...

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

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...

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

NIH: National Institutes of Health.

Nitric oxide: A compound that is toxic but which, paradoxically, plays a number of importa...

Normal range: Characteristic of 95 percent of values from a normal population. The remaini...

Obese: Well above ones normal weight. A person has traditionally been considered to be obe...

Obesity: The state of being well above one's normal weight.

Obstruction: Blockage of a passageway. See, for example: Airway obstruction; Intestinal o...

Occult: Hidden. For example, occult blood in the stool is hidden from the eye but can be d...

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

Operation: In medicine, a surgical procedure. Many operations are named after persons. The...

Orchitis: Inflammation of the testis. Causes of orchitis include mumps and other infection...

Orgasm: A series of muscle contractions in the genital region that is accompanied by sudde...

Osteoporosis: Thinning of the bones, with reduction in bone mass, due to depletion of calc...

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

Paraphimosis: An emergency condition in which the foreskin of the penis, once retracted, c...

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

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

Penile: Of or pertaining to the penis.

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

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

Pertussis: Whooping cough, a communicable, potentially deadly illness characterized by fi...

Phimosis: A condition in which the foreskin of the penis is too tight to be pulled back to...

Physiology: The study of how living organisms function, including such processes as nutrit...

Pituitary: 1. As an adjective, pertaining to the pituitary gland or its hormonal se...

Pituitary gland: The main endocrine gland. It is a small structure in the head. It is ca...

Pneumonia: Inflammation of one or both lungs, with dense areas of lung inflammation. Pneum...

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

Prostate: A gland within the male reproductive system that is located just below the blad...

Prostate cancer: A malignant tumor of the prostate, the gland that produces some of the co...

Prostate gland: A gland in the male reproductive system that is located just below the bla...

Prostatectomy: Surgical removal of the prostate gland. Prostatectomy can be done through a...

PSA: Prostate specific antigen. A test for PSA may be used to screen for cancer of the p...

Puberty: Adolescence, the period in which the human body first becomes capable of reproduc...

Pulmonary: Having to do with the lungs.

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy ...

Radiation therapy: The use of high-energy rays to damage cancer cells, stopping them from ...

Reflux: The term used when liquid backs up into the esophagus from the stomach.

Regimen: A plan or a regulated course, such as a diet, exercise, or treatment, that is des...

Resection: Surgical removal of part of an organ.

Semen: The fluid that is released through the penis during orgasm. Semen is made up of flu...

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

Shingles: An acute infection caused by the herpes zoster virus, the same virus as causes ...

Shortness of breath: Difficulty in breathing. Medically referred to as dyspnea. Shortness ...

Sigmoidoscopy: A procedure in which a physician inserts a viewing tube (sigmoidoscope) int...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Sleep apnea: The temporary stoppage of breathing during sleep, often resulting in daytime ...

Smooth muscle: Along with skeletal and cardiac muscle, one of the types of muscle tissue i...

Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The ch...

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

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

Stool: The solid matter that is discharged in a bowel movement.

Stool occult blood test: A test to see whether there is blood in the bowel movement. Also...

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

Suicidal: Pertaining to suicide. the taking of ones own life. As in a suicidal gesture, su...

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

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

Syphilis: A sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum, a microscopic orga...

Systolic: The blood pressure when the heart is contracting. It is specifically the maximum...

Tactile: Having to do with touch. For example, tactile signs of disease are signs that are...

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

Testicles: The testicles (also called testes or gonads) are the male sex glands. They are ...

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages th...

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

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

Tobacco: A South American herb (Nicotiana tabacum) whose leaves contain 2 to 8 percent nic...

Trait: In genetics, a trait refers to any genetically determined characteristic. In techni...

Transurethral resection: Surgery to remove tissue using a special instrument inserted thro...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Tunica albuginea: The whitish membrane within the penis that surrounds the spongy chambers...

Ulcerative colitis: A bowel disease that is characterized by inflammation with ulcer forma...

Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves. Ultra-sound waves can be bounced off tissues by us...

Urethra: The tube that leads from the bladder and transports and discharges urine outside ...

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

Urinary tract: The organs of the body that produce, store, and discharge urine. These orga...

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

Urologist: A physician who specializes in diseases of the urinary organs in females and th...

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

Vaccines: Microbial preparations of killed or modified microorganisms that can stimulate a...

Vascular: Relating to blood vessels. For example, the vascular system in the body includes...

Venereal: Having to do with sexual contact. For example, a venereal disease is a sexually ...

Venereal disease: A disease that is contracted and transmitted by sexual contact, caused ...

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

Vitamins: The word "vitamin" was coined in 1911 by the Warsaw-born biochemist Casimir Funk...

Wasting: 1. Gradual loss (for example, of weight), deterioration, emaciation. As in...

Watchful waiting: Closely monitoring a patient's condition but withholding therapy until t...

Weight loss: Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (die...