Trichomoniasis 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 ...

Abstinence: The voluntary self-denial of food, drink, or sex. Today, abstinence most commo...

Acidophilus: Bacteria found in yogurt that can help restore a supportive bacterial environ...

Alternative medicine: Healing arts not taught in traditional Western medical schools that ...

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

Aromatherapy: A form of alternative medicine in which essential oils or other scents are i...

Chlamydia: The agent of a sexually transmitted disease, a type of bacteria found in the ce...

Contraction: The tightening and shortening of a muscle.

Curable: Amenable to a cure, capable of being cured, to being healed and made well. From ...

Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

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

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

Douche: Usually, a stream of water applied into the vagina for cleansing purposes. A douch...

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

Epididymitis: Inflammation of the epididymis. Epididymitis can be caused by sexually acqui...

Genital: Pertaining to the external and/or internal organs of reproduction.

Gonorrhea: A bacterial infection that is transmitted by sexual contact. Gonorrhea is one o...

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

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

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 ...

Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on ...

Lab test: A test that is done in the laboratory where the appropriate equipment, supplies,...

Labor: Childbirth, the process of delivering a baby and the placenta, membranes, and umbil...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Lactobacillus: A bacterium normally found in the mouth, intestinal tract, and vagina. Lact...

Lactobacillus acidophilus: The bacteria found in milk and fermented milk products, partic...

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

Microscopic: So small it cannot be seen without the aid of microscope. As opposed to macro...

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

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

Parasite: A plant or an animal organism that lives in or on another and takes its nourishm...

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

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

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

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...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Reproduction: The production of offspring. Reproduction need not be sexual; for example, y...

Reproductive system: In women, the organs that are directly involved in producing eggs and...

Safe sex: Sexual practices that do not involve the exchange of bodily fluids, including bl...

Scrotum: The pouch of skin that contains the testes, epididymides, and lower portions of t...

Sexually transmitted disease: Any disease transmitted by sexual contact; caused by microo...

Sexually transmitted infection: An infection that can be transferred from one person to an...

Speculum: An instrument that is used to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix...

STD: Sexually transmitted disease.

Syphilis: A sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum, a microscopic orga...

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

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

Trichomonas: A single-celled protozoan parasite best known in medicine because one species...

Trichomonas vaginalis: A protozoan parasite that causes vaginitis. See: Trichomonas.

Trichomoniasis: Infection with trichomonas, in humans with Trichomonas vaginalis.

Trimester: In obstetrics, one of the three divisions of three months each during pregnancy...

Troche: A small medicated lozenge designed to dissolve. For example, to soothe the throat ...

Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

Urinary tract: The organs of the body that produce, store, and discharge urine. These orga...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Vagina: The muscular canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is ...

Vaginal discharge: Vaginal discharge is a fluid produced by glands in the vaginal wall and...

Yogurt: A common dish made of milk curdled and fermented with a culture of Lactobacillus (...

Zinc: A mineral that is essential to the body and is a constituent of many enzymes that pe...