Glossary Term - A
Alphabetical glossary of health & disability services, health terms and general MidCentral District Health Board information.
Accreditation
Acute
If it's acute, it's strong or intense or comes on suddenly.
Acute Mental Health
Adenoids
Lymph nodes at the back of your nose, above your tonsils. If they’re too large and causing breathing problems, you may need to have them removed.
Adrenal glands
These are part of the endocrine system and secrete hormones. Your adrenal glands are on top of each kidney.
Adjustment
An Illness like cancer brings a number of changes that may be short or long term. Adjustment involves changing behaviours, thoughts, beliefs and expectations to fit with the changed circumstances. This is often a difficult process and sometimes people benefit from some assistance to make these changes.
After Hours Co-ordination
Alcohol & Drug
Allergen
Something that cause an allergic reaction.
Allergy
Lots of people have allergies. They're something that your body reacts to, and often include foods and materials that you come into contact with. Usually they are harmless, but for some people they can be much more serious and make them very ill.
Alopecia
This is when you lose some or all of your hair. This can be caused by medicines or it can be due to an autoimmune disease.
Ambulance
Ambulatory Care Centre
Anaemia
A condition where your red blood cells cannot carry enough oxygen. It makes you feel tired and you may look pale. There are lots of different types of anaemia – some are more serious than others.
Anaesthetic
If you're under an anaesthetic, you won't feel any pain during a test or an operation. It's a special mixture of drugs, which can be breathed or injected. A general anaesthetic will let you 'sleep' while everything's going on, so you won't feel anything.
Anaesthetics
Anaesthetist
An anaesthetist is a special doctor who will look will make sure you 'sleep' safely during an operation or test, and make sure that you're okay afterwards.
Analgesia
Another word for pain relief
Anaphylaxis
Lots of people have allergies, which means they can't eat certain foods or touch some materials. Anaphylaxis is a severe type of allergic reaction
Angiogram
This is a special X-ray picture of an artery - that's the vessel that takes blood from your heart and around your body.
Annual Planning
Annual Report
Antibiotics
Bacteria (germs) can sometimes make you ill, and that's where antibiotics come in. Antibiotics are medicines that attack bacteria that are making you feel unwell. Although they hurt the bacteria, they won't hurt you.
Antibody
A substance in your blood that reacts with something you’re allergic to (allergen).
Antihistamines
If you've got an allergy, antihistamines can help to stop a bad reaction. They're usually tablets but sometimes you might be given a syrup, because it is easier to swallow.
Antiseptic
Something that prevents infection. You can get antiseptic mouthwash, antiseptic cream, and antiseptic hand wipes, all of which prevent infection.
Anxiety
This is an unpleasant feeling of worry and apprehension accompanied by physiological symptoms such as increased heart rate and breathing, and sweating. People often feel anxious in response to different aspects of the cancer experience and psychologists are trained to help people manage their anxiety and worry.
Aorta
This is the main artery in your body which carries blood away from your heart.
Apnoea
A condition where you stop breathing – usually only for a few seconds. Some people have apnoea only when they’re asleep.
Appendix
A little tube attached to your large intestine that has no function at all! It’s about 9cm long in adults and doesn’t usually cause any problems, unless it becomes infected – which is called appendicitis.
Arrhythmia
This is when the heart doesn’t beat in a regular way – some people have this all the time, and they need something called a pacemaker to make the heart beat regularly.
Arteries
Our bodies contain lots of blood, which moves around in arteries, veins and capillaries. Arteries carry blood away from the heart to the rest of your body. They are made up of different layers in a tube.
Arthritis
A disease where your joints swell and become stiff and painful. Some people think only old people get arthritis but it can affect young people too!
Asset Management
Atrium
One of the chambers in the heart.
Audiology
The study of hearing.
Audiologist
A person who studies your hearing and can suggest ways of improving it if you have problems.
Autoimmune
This is a kind of disease where the body gets confused and starts attacking itself because it thinks it’s dangerous. For instance, in arthritis, the body identifies the tissue in the joints as being ‘the enemy’ and so attacks them causing damage.
Axilla
This is a word for your armpit.
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Last Updated 17/10/2007