Tonsillitis Glossary of Terms

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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...

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

Airway: The path that air follows to get into and out of the lungs. The mouth and nose are...

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

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

Aspiration: Removal of a sample of fluid and cells through a needle. Aspiration also re...

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

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

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

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

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

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 ...

Diphtheria: An acute infectious upper respiratory tract disease that affects the throat. I...

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

Ear: The hearing organ. There are three sections of the ear, according to the anatomy tex...

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

ENT: 1. Abbreviation for ears, nose and throat. A field of medicine also called ot...

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

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

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 disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

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...

Incision: A cut through skin or other tissue performed by a health care professional.

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 ...

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

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

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...

Obstruction: Blockage of a passageway. See, for example: Airway obstruction; Intestinal o...

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

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...

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

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

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

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

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

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

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

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...

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...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Teaspoon: An old-fashioned but convenient household measure that is equal to about 5 cc of...

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

Tonsillectomy: The surgical removal of both 'tonsils.

Tonsillitis: Inflammation of one or both tonsils, typically as a result of infection by a ...

Tonsils: Small masses of lymphoid tissue at the back and on both sides of the throat.

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Uvula: The anatomic structure that dangles downward at the back of the mouth and is attach...

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...

Viruses: Small living particles that can infect cells and change how the cells function. I...