Medical Terminology Lecture - Chapter 5

Introduction

• Complete this chapter to:
  • Use foundational and anatomical medical terms and abbreviations.
  • Understand the purpose and components of medical terminology.
  • Define unknown medical terms by dissecting and understanding their components.
  • Identify error-prone medical abbreviations and acronyms.
  • Learn common direction, movement, and positional terms.

Importance of Medical Terminology for EMTs

• Essential for effective communication and documentation.
• Understanding terms, symbols, and abbreviations is crucial.
• Helps in communication with EMS, healthcare, and public safety teams.

Anatomy of Medical Terminology

• Components of Medical Terms:
  • Word Root: Foundation of the word.
  • Prefix: Occurs before the word root.
  • Suffix: Occurs after the word root.
  • Combining Vowels: Join word roots to other components.
• Accurate spelling is crucial.
  • Example: Dysphasia vs. Dysphagia.

Word Roots

• Main part or stem of a word, indicates a body part.
• Adding prefixes/suffixes changes the term's meaning.
• Some word roots can also be prefixes or suffixes.

Prefixes

• Appear at the beginning of words.
• Describe location or intensity.
• Provide specific meaning to word roots.

Suffixes

• Placed at the end of words.
• Indicate procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech.

Combining Vowels

• Connect word roots to suffixes or other roots.
• Usually an 'o', but can be 'i' or 'e'.
• Helps ease pronunciation.

Word Building Rules

• Prefix is always at the beginning, suffix at the end.
• Use combining vowel when a suffix begins with a consonant.
• Plural endings have specific rules.
  • Example: Singular 'a' changes to 'ae'.

Special Word Parts

• Numbers: Indicate number involvement (uni-, bi-, multi-).
• Colors: Describe colors (cyano-, leuco-, melano-).
• Positions/Directions: Describe position or location (ab-, ad-, trans-).

Directional Terms

• Superior/Inferior: Towards head/feet.
• Lateral/Medial: Away from/towards midline.
• Proximal/Distal: Towards/away from trunk.
• Superficial/Deep: Closer to/on skin, farther inside body.
• Ventral/Dorsal: Belly/spinal side (anterior/posterior).
• Palmar/Plantar: Palm of hand/sole of foot.
• Apex: Tip of a structure.

Movement Terms

• Flexion/Extension: Bending/straightening joint.
• Adduction/Abduction: Moving towards/away from midline.

Usage of Terms

• Bilateral: Both sides of midline.
• Unilateral: One side of midline.
• Prone Position: Lying face down.
• Supine Position: Lying face up.
• Fowler Position: Semi-reclining, head elevated.

Examples of Term Dissection

• Nephropathy: Disease of the kidney.
• Dysuria: Painful urination.
• Hyperemesis: Excessive vomiting.
• Analgesic: Pertaining to no pain.

Medical Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols

• Shorthand for faster communication.
• Use commonly understood abbreviations to avoid errors.
• Familiarize with local jurisdiction or service area standards.
• Only use widely accepted symbols.

Review Questions

• Word root conveys essential meaning.
• Prefixes indicate colors, numbers, positions, and directions.
• Plural form of 'bronchus' is 'bronchi'.
• Superior indicates closer to the head.
• Adduction is movement towards the midline.
• Medial indicates closer to the midline.
• Ventral refers to the belly side.
• Semi-Fowler position is sitting at a 45-degree angle.
• Plantar surface is the sole of the feet.
• EMTs should use medically accepted abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols.