Primary Insomnia Glossary of Terms
The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Primary Insomnia article.
Allergy: A misguided reaction to foreign substances by the immune system, the body system ... See the entire definition of AllergyAmnesia: An impairment to or lack of memory. Antegrade amnesia refers to a lack of memory ... See the entire definition of AmnesiaAnticonvulsant: A medication used to control (prevent) seizures (convulsions) or stop an o... See the entire definition of AnticonvulsantAntidepressants: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression. Antihistamines: Drugs that combat the histamine released during an allergic reaction by bl... See the entire definition of AntihistaminesAnxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa... See the entire definition of AnxietyApnea: The absence of breathing (respiration). Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w... See the entire definition of ArthritisAtypical: Unusual, or not fitting a single diagnostic Benzodiazepines: A class of drugs that act as tranquilizers and are commonly used in the t... See the entire definition of BenzodiazepinesBiofeedback: A method of treatment that uses a monitor to measure patients' physiologic in... See the entire definition of BiofeedbackBlindness: Loss of useful sight. Blindness can be temporary or permanent. Damage to any p... See the entire definition of BlindnessBlurred vision: Lack of sharpness of vision with, as a result, the inability to see fine d... See the entire definition of Blurred visionBrain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func... See the entire definition of BrainBreathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ... See the entire definition of Breathing
Caffeine: A stimulant compound found naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa (chocolate), and kola... See the entire definition of CaffeineCancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ... See the entire definition of CancerChronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ... See the entire definition of ChronicChronic insomnia: See Insomnia, chronic. Circadian: Refers to events occurring within the span of a full 24-hour day, as in a circa... See the entire definition of CircadianCognition: The process of knowing. Cognition includes both awareness and judgment. Cognitive: Having to do with thought, judgment, or knowledge. Cognitive therapy: A relatively short-term form of psychotherapy based on the concept that... See the entire definition of Cognitive therapyDepression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way... See the entire definition of DepressionDiagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ... See the entire definition of DiagnosisDry mouth: The condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. This is due to... See the entire definition of Dry mouthDysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function. Effective dose: The dose of a drug that will achieve the desired effect. Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ... See the entire definition of FatigueFDA: Food and Drug Administration.
Feedback: Many biologic processes are controlled by feedback, just as the temperature in a... See the entire definition of FeedbackGland: A group of cells that secrete a substance for use in the body. For example, the thy... See the entire definition of GlandHeart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ... See the entire definition of HeartHeart rate: The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute. The heart rate ... See the entire definition of Heart rateHepatic: Having to do with the liver. Herbal: 1. An adjective, referring to herbs, as in an herbal tea. Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit... See the entire definition of HormoneHygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ... See the entire definition of HygieneHyperactivity: A higher than normal level of activity. An organ can be described as hyper... See the entire definition of HyperactivityHypochondriasis: The belief and fear of serious illness which lasts for six months, beyond... See the entire definition of HypochondriasisIdiopathic: Of unknown cause. Any disease that is of uncertain or unknown origin may be te... See the entire definition of IdiopathicImagery: Both a mental process (as in imagining) and a wide variety of procedures used in... See the entire definition of ImageryInsomnia: The perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep due to a number ... See the entire definition of InsomniaJet lag: A temporary disorder that causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a resu... See the entire definition of Jet lagLaboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a... See the entire definition of Laboratory
Melatonin: A hormone that is produced by the pineal gland and is intimately involved in re... See the entire definition of MelatoninMouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con... See the entire definition of MouthMuscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T... See the entire definition of MuscleMuscle relaxant: Muscle relaxant is a term usually used to refer to skeletal muscle relaxa... See the entire definition of Muscle relaxantNarcolepsy: A neurological disorder that is marked by the recurrent, sudden, uncontrollabl... See the entire definition of NarcolepsyNicotine: An alkaloid (a nitrogen-containing chemical) made by the tobacco plant or produc... See the entire definition of NicotineObjective: In a microscope, the objective (also called the objective lens) is the lens nea... See the entire definition of ObjectiveOnset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex... See the entire definition of OnsetPain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa... See the entire definition of PainParasomnia: A sleep disorder in which odd or dangerous events occur that intrude on sleep.... See the entire definition of ParasomniaPineal gland: A small gland that is located near the center of the brain. This gland secre... See the entire definition of Pineal glandPolysomnography: Continuous recording of specific physiologic variables during sleep. Poly... See the entire definition of PolysomnographyPregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi... See the entire definition of PregnancyPrescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev... See the entire definition of PrescriptionPrescription drug: A drug requiring a prescription, as opposed to an over-the-counter dr... See the entire definition of Prescription drug
Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan... See the entire definition of PrognosisProgressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ... See the entire definition of ProgressivePsychiatric: Pertaining to or within the purview of psychiatry, the medical specialty conc... See the entire definition of PsychiatricPulmonary: Having to do with the lungs. Rebound: The reversal of response upon withdrawal of a stimulus. Relaxant: Something that relaxes, relieves, or reduces tension. For example, a muscle rela... See the entire definition of RelaxantRenal: Having to do with the kidney. For example, renal cancer is cancer of the kidneys. Residual: Something left behind. With residual disease, the disease has not been eradicate... See the entire definition of ResidualRule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera... See the entire definition of Rule outSleep: The body's rest cycle. Sleep apnea: The temporary stoppage of breathing during sleep, often resulting in daytime ... See the entire definition of Sleep apneaSleep disorders: Any disorder that affects, disrupts, or involves sleep. The most common... See the entire definition of Sleep disordersSleep hygiene: A series of practices and non-medical treatments for insomnia. Sleep hygien... See the entire definition of Sleep hygieneSleep restriction therapy: A type of therapy in which the number of hours of sleep are res... See the entire definition of Sleep restriction therapySleeplessness: Insomnia. See also Fatal familial insomnia.
Sleepwalking: Purposeful moving, usually but not always including walking, while in a deep... See the entire definition of SleepwalkingSomnambulism: Sleepwalking. Purposeful moving, usually but not always including walking, ... See the entire definition of SomnambulismStress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact... See the entire definition of StressSubstance: 1. Material with particular features. Substance abuse: The excessive use of a substance, especially alcohol or a drug. (There is... See the entire definition of Substance abuseSymptomatic: 1 With symptoms, as a symptomatic infection. 2 Characteristic o... See the entire definition of SymptomaticTension: 1) The pressure within a vessel, such as blood pressure: the pressure within t... See the entire definition of TensionTherapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment. Tobacco: A South American herb (Nicotiana tabacum) whose leaves contain 2 to 8 percent nic... See the entire definition of TobaccoUrinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur... See the entire definition of UrinaryVoluntary: Done in accordance with the conscious will of the individual. The opposite of i... See the entire definition of Voluntary
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