Strep Throat Glossary of Terms

1. Just a Sore Throat or Strep Slideshow
2. Take the Strep Throat Quiz!
3. Infectious Mononucleosis Slideshow

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

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

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

Absorb: 1. To take something in, as through the skin or the intestine.
2....

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

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

Allergic reaction: The hypersensitive response of the immune system of an allergic indiv...

Allergy: A misguided reaction to foreign substances by the immune system, the body system ...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Caffeine: A stimulant compound found naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa (chocolate), and kola...

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

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

Congestive heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it, with f...

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

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

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

Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

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

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

Erythromycin: Erythromycin is a common antibiotic for treating bacterial infection. Sold...

Esophageal: Related to the esophagus.

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

Fungal: Pertaining to a fungus. For example, a fungal skin infection.

Hard palate: The first section of the bony part of the roof of the mouth, located in front...

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

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it and, specifically...

Heart muscle: A type of muscle with unique features only found in the heart. The heart mus...

Heart valves: There are four heart valves. All are one-way valves. Blood entering the ...

Herbal: 1. An adjective, referring to herbs, as in an herbal tea.
2. A...

Hoarseness: Hoarseness is a term referring to abnormal voice changes. Hoarseness may be ma...

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 response: Any reaction by the immune system. For example, poison ivy can cause an i...

Impetigo: A skin infection caused by the staphylococcus or, less often, by the streptococc...

Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa...

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

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...

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...

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

Lockjaw: See Tetanus.

Low blood pressure: Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individua...

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

Lymphadenopathy: Abnormally enlarged lymph nodes. Commonly called swollen glands.

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

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

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

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

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

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

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...

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

Peritonsillar abscess: A collection of pus behind the tonsils that pushes one of the tonsi...

Pharyngeal: Having to do with the pharynx (throat).

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

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

Rapid strep test: A diagnostic test commonly used to demonstrate whether streptococcus bac...

Rash: Breaking out (eruption) of the skin. A rash can be caused by an underlying medical c...

Relapse: The return of signs and symptoms of a disease after a remission.

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Rheumatic fever: An illness that occurs following a streptococcus infection (such as a "st...

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

Runny nose: The production of extra mucus by the nose. Rhinorrhea is the medical term for ...

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

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

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Sneeze: 1. As a verb, to suddenly expel air through the nose and mouth by an involu...

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

Sore throat: Pain in the throat. Sore throat may be caused by many different causes, inclu...

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

Strep: Very commonly used shortened form of Streptococcus, a very common and import...

Strep throat: Strep throat is an infection caused by a type of bacteria called streptococc...

Streptococcus: A group of bacteria that causes a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope...

Streptococcus pyogenes: A common bacteria of the skin that causes strep throat (streptococ...

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.

Tetanus: An often fatal infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tet...

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

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.

Toxic shock: See Toxic shock syndrome.

Toxic shock syndrome: A grave condition occurring predominantly in menstruating women usin...

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

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

Viral infection: Infection caused by the presence of a virus in the body. Depending on...

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