Oral Herpes Glossary of Terms

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2. Strep or Sore Throat Slideshow Pictures
3. Infectious Mononucleosis Slideshow Pictures

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

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

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

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

Antibody: An immunoglobulin, a specialized immune protein, produced because of the introdu...

Antigen: A substance that the immune system perceives as being foreign or dangerous. The b...

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

Antiviral agent: A medication or another agent that kills viruses or inhibits their capabi...

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

Asymptomatic: Without symptoms. For example, an asymptomatic infection is an infection wit...

Asymptomatic infection: An infection without symptoms. Also known as inapparent or subclin...

Atopic: A predisposition toward developing certain allergic hypersensitivity reactions. At...

Blister: A collection of fluid underneath the top layer of skin (epidermis). There are man...

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

Bumps: The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured b...

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

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

Cervical: Having to do with any kind of neck, including the neck on which the head is perc...

Chin: Medically, the mentum. The lower portion of the face below the lower lip including t...

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

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

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

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

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid. One of two types of molecules that encode genetic information...

Dorsal: Relating to the back or postterior of a structure. As opposed to the ventral, or f...

Dry mouth: The condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. This is due to...

Eczema: A particular type of inflammatory reaction of the skin in which there are typicall...

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

Encephalitis: Inflammation of the brain, which may be caused by a bacterium, a virus, or a...

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

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

Ganglion: The celebrated 2nd century Greek physician Galen ((c. 130-201 A.D.) who lived a...

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...

Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, irrespective of the cause. Hepatitis is caused by a ...

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

HPV: Human papillomavirus.

Human papillomavirus: HPV. A family of over 100 viruses including those which cause warts ...

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

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

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

Incubation period: In medicine, the time from the moment of exposure to an infectious agen...

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

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

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

Keratoconjunctivitis: Inflammation of the eye that involves both the cornea and conjunctiv...

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

Laser: A powerful beam of light that is used in some types of surgery to cut or destroy ti...

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

Lips: Aside from the lips of the mouth, there are two pairs of lips at the entrance to the...

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

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

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

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

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

Mucosa: Having to do with a mucous membrane. For example, the oral mucosa.

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

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

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...

NIH: National Institutes of Health.

Nuclei: The plural of nucleus.

Nucleus: 1) In cell biology, the structure that houses the chromosomes. 2) In neuroanato...

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

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...

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

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

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

Pharyngitis: Inflammation of the pharynx. Pharyngitis is a common cause of sore throat.

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

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

Recurrence: The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission. The reappearance ...

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

Replication: A turning back, repetition, duplication, reproduction.

Rupture: A break or tear in any organ (such as the spleen) or soft tissue (such as the ach...

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

Sexually transmitted disease: Any disease transmitted by sexual contact; caused by microo...

Soft palate: The muscular part of the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is directly behin...

Sore: 1. (adjective) A popular term for painful, such as a sore throat. 2. (...

Spine: 1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects ...

Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spre...

STD: Sexually transmitted disease.

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

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

Tiredness: See: Tired.

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

Tonsils: Small masses of lymphoid tissue at the back and on both sides of the throat.

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

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Tzanck smear: See Tzanck test.

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

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

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

Viruses: Small living particles that can infect cells and change how the cells function. I...

Zovirax: Brand name of Acyclovir.