Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) Glossary of Terms

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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 cavity: The cavity within the abdomen, the space between the abdominal wall and...

Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

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

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

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

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

Appendicitis: Inflammation of the appendix, usually associated with infection of the appen...

Back pain: Pain felt in the low or upper back. Causes of pain in the low and upper back in...

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

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

Birth control: Birth control is the use of any practices, methods, or devices to prevent p...

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

Blood count: The calculated number of white or red blood cells (WBCs or RBCs) in a cubic m...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

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...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The US agency charged with tracking and invest...

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

Cervicitis: Inflammation of the uterine cervix.

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

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

Chlamydia trachomatis: A bacterium that causes a disease called trachoma that results in b...

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

Complete blood count: A set values of the cellular (formed elements) of blood. These meas...

Cysts: Cysts are abnormal, closed sac-like structures within a tissue that contain a liqui...

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

Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vag...

Douching: Using water or a medicated solution to clean the vagina and cervix or any other ...

Doxycycline: Brand name: Vibramycin. A synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic derived from te...

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

Ectopic: In the wrong place, out of place. For example, an ectopic kidney is a kidney that...

Ectopic pregnancy: A pregnancy that is not in the uterus. The fertilized egg settles and g...

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

Endometritis: Inflammation of the endometrium, the inner layer of the uterus.

Fallopian tube: One of the two Fallopian tubes that transport the egg from the ovary to th...

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

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

Gonorrhea: A bacterial infection that is transmitted by sexual contact. Gonorrhea is one o...

Gynecologist: A physician who specializes in treating diseases of the female reproductive ...

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

Implant: 1. To embed; to set in firmly. In embryology, the fertilized egg implants ...

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.

Infertility: Diminished or absent ability to conceive and bear offspring. A couple is cons...

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

Internal bleeding: Bleeding inside the body that is not seen from the outside. Internal bl...

Intrauterine: In the uterus.

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

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

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

Laparoscope: An instrument through which structures within the abdomen and pelvis can be s...

Male condom: The male condom is a sheath placed over the erect penis before penetration, p...

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.

Menstrual: Pertaining to menstruation (the menses), as in last menstrual period, menstrua...

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Navel: The umbilicus, the former site of attachment of the umbilical cord, usually found i...

Neisseria: A group of bacteria that includes the bacterium that causes gonorrhea.

Nurse: 1) A person trained, licensed, or skilled in nursing. 2) To feed an infant at the ...

Ovarian: Of or pertaining to the ovary.

Ovary: The female gonad, one of a pair of reproductive glands in women. The ovaries are lo...

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

Painful urination: See: Dysuria.

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

Pelvic pain: : Pain perceived in the area of the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen loc...

Pelvis: The lower part of the abdomen, located between the hip bones. Structures in the fe...

Peritoneal: Having to do with the peritoneum.

Peritoneum: The membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers most of the abdominal ...

Peritonitis: Inflammation of the peritoneum (The peritoneum is the tissue layer of cells l...

Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

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

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

Risk factor: Something that increases a person's chances of developing a disease. For exam...

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

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

Safe sex: Sexual practices that do not involve the exchange of bodily fluids, including bl...

Serum: The clear liquid that can be separated from clotted blood. Serum differs from plas...

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

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

Speculum: An instrument that is used to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix...

STD: Sexually transmitted disease.

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...

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

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

Tubes: The "tubes" are medically known as the Fallopian tubes. There are two Fallopian tub...

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

Urinalysis: A test that is done in order to analyze urine. Because toxins and excess fluid...

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

Uterine bleeding: See: Menstruation. See also Menometrorrhagia; Menorrhagia; Metrorrhagia....

Uterus: A hollow, pear-shaped organ that is located in a woman's lower abdomen, between th...

Vagina: The muscular canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is ...

Vaginal discharge: Vaginal discharge is a fluid produced by glands in the vaginal wall and...

Vibramycin: Brand name for doxycycline.

White blood cell: One of the cells the body makes to help fight infections. There are seve...

White blood cell count (leukocyte count): The number of white blood cells (WBCs) in the b...