Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) Glossary of Terms

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Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

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

Agonist: A substance that acts like another substance and therefore stimulates an action. ...

Analog: In biochemistry, a substance that is similar, but not identical, to another.

Androgen: A male sex hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of the male s...

Antidepressant: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

Antidepressants: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

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

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

Bone density: Bone density is the amount of bone tissue in a certain volume of bone. It ca...

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

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ...

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

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 ...

Edema: The swelling of soft tissues as a result of excess fluid accumulation. Edema is oft...

Estrogen: A female steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts,...

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

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

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

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Hirsutism: Having excessive facial and bodily hair. Hirsutism can be a side effect of cert...

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

Hot flashes: A sudden wave of mild or intense body heat caused by rushes of hormonal chang...

Intestine: The long, tubelike organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion...

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

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

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

Menstrual cycle: The monthly cycle of changes in the ovaries and the lining of the uteru...

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

Neurotransmitter: A chemical that is released from a nerve cell which thereby transmits an...

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

Oral contraceptive: A birth control pill taken by mouth. Most oral contraceptives include...

Ovarian: Of or pertaining to the ovary.

Ovulation: The release of the ripe egg (ovum) from the ovary. The egg is released when the...

Palpitations: Unpleasant sensations of irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart. In ...

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...

PMDD: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

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

Premenstrual: Just before the start of menstruation. As in a premenstrual headache.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: An unusually severe form of premenstrual syndrome charact...

Premenstrual syndrome: A combination of physical and mood disturbances that occur in the l...

Progesterone: A female hormone, the principal hormone that prepares the uterus to receive ...

Quality of life: The patient's ability to enjoy normal life activities. Quality of life is...

Reuptake: The reabsorption of a secreted substance by the cell that originally produced an...

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

Serotonin: A neurotransmitter that is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. Sero...

SSRI: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, one of a family of antidepressant medication...

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

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

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

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

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

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

Tiredness: See: Tired.

Vitamin B6: A group of closely related chemical compounds with related names -- pyridoxine...

Vitamin E: Alpha-tocopherol, an antioxidant vitamin which binds oxygen free radicals that ...