Pleurisy Glossary of Terms

1. Understanding COPD Slideshow
2. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Quiz
3. Energy Foods for COPD Slideshow Pictures

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

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

Asbestos: A natural material made up of tiny fibers that is used as thermal insulation. In...

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) ...

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

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

Breast bone: Familiar name for the sternum, the long flat bone in the middle of the front ...

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

Bronchitis: Inflammation and swelling of the bronchi. Bronchitis can be acute or chronic.

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

Cartilage: Firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. A flexible kind of cartilag...

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

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...

Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

Chest X-ray: A type of X-ray commonly used to detect abnormalities in the lungs. A chest X...

Chills: feelings of coldness accompanied by shivering. Chills may develop after exposure t...

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

Chronic pain: Pain (an unpleasant sense of discomfort) that persists or progresses over ...

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

Collagen: The principal protein of the skin, tendons, cartilage, bone, and connective tiss...

Collapsed lung: Failure of full expansion of a once fully expanded lung. Medically cal...

Costochondritis: Inflammation and swelling of the cartilage of the chest wall, usually inv...

Cough: A rapid expulsion of air from the lungs, typically in order to clear the lung airwa...

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 ...

ECG: Electrocardiogram.

Electrocardiogram: A recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Abbreviated ECG an...

Embolus: A blockage or plug that obstructs a blood 'vessel. Examples of emboli are detache...

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

Emphysema: 1) A lung condition featuring an abnormal accumulation of air in the lung's ma...

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

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

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

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 ...

Heart rate: The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute. The heart rate ...

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

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

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...

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

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

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

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

Lupus: A chronic inflammatory disease that is caused by autoimmunity. Patients with lupus ...

Marijuana: A common street and recreational drug that comes from the marijuana plant: the ...

Mesothelioma: A malignant tumor of the mesothelium, the thin lining of the surface of the ...

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

Oxycodone: Oxycodone is the active ingredient in OxyContin. Oxycodone is an opioid, a clos...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

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

Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas. Of the many causes of pancreatitis, the most c...

Parietal: Adjective from the Latin "parietalis" meaning "belonging to the wall" that the a...

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

Penicillin: The most famous of all antibiotics, named for the fungal mold Penicillium n...

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

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

Pleura: One of the two membranes around the lungs. These two membranes are called the visc...

Pleural: Pertaining to the pleura, the thin covering that protects the lungs. The term "pl...

Pleurisy: Inflammation of the pleurae, the membranes surrounding the lungs. Symptoms inclu...

Pleuritis: Inflammation of the pleura. When the pleura becomes inflamed, it can produce m...

Pleurodynia: Also known as Bornholm disease, this is a temporary illness that is a result...

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

Pneumothorax: Free air in the chest outside the lung. Pneumothorax can occur spontaneously...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Pulmonary: Having to do with the lungs.

Pulmonary embolus: A blood clot or foreign material that has been carried through the bloo...

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

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 ...

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Respiratory rate: The number of breaths per minute or, more formally, the number of moveme...

Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of joint...

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

Scleroderma: A disease of connective tissue that causes scar tissue (fibrosis) to form in ...

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 ...

Sickle cell disease: A genetic blood disorder caused by the presence of an abnormal form ...

Sputum: Mucous material from the lungs that is produced (brought up) by coughing.

Stethoscope: An instrument that is used to transmit low-volume sounds such as a heartbeat ...

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

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

Thrombosis: The formation or presence of a blood clot in a blood vessel. The vessel may be...

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

Toxicology: The study of the nature, effects, and detection of poisons (toxins) and the tr...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Tuberculosis: A highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium called Mycobacterium ...

Uremia: The presence of excessive amounts of urea in the blood, which may be a sign of ki...

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

Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood that is low in oxygen content from the body back t...

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...

Visceral: Referring to the viscera, the internal organs of the body, specifically those wi...

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