STAT means now. Everything else means consult a specialist.
A sneaky sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria that often masquerades as nothing at allâmany carriers don't even know they're infected. The silent troublemaker of the STI world that can cause serious complications if ignored.
A disease that exists but hasn't shown obvious symptoms yetâbasically a medical ninja hiding in your body.
When blood pressure and circulation decide to go haywireâbasically your cardiovascular system having a meltdown.
Excessive urine productionâwhen your kidneys decide to practice their dilution strategy to an extreme.
The classification and naming of diseasesâtaxonomy for the things trying to kill you.
The surgical art of cutting something outâtumors, tissues, problematic genesâwith a scalpel and the sincere hope that what remains functions better than what left. Basically, subtraction as medicine.
To examine by listening, usually with a stethoscopeâthe method that makes everyone think doctors are contemplative.
Anything remotely related to digestion or the digestive systemâas in 'peptic ulcer,' that burning sensation caused by stomach acid throwing an absolute tantrum against your stomach lining. It's the body's passive-aggressive way of complaining.
When the heart's interior lining gets inflamed, usually from sneaky bacteria throwing an uninvited party in your cardiac chambers. It's basically sepsis, but with more dramatic consequences for your most essential organ.
A molecule that acts as nature's light switch, turning genes on and off like a microscopic electrician. In social contexts, it's someone who convinces you to do something regrettable.
A disease that gets better and worse in cyclesâbasically playing emotional roulette with your health.
Treatment given before surgery to shrink tumors firstâreverse-order medical strategy that confuses patients.
Abnormally low blood pressureâwhen your cardiovascular system decides to work in slow motion.
When your blood performs a disappointing job of oxygen deliveryâcourtesy of too few red blood cells or hemoglobin skipping work. The result: paleness, fatigue, and the sudden discovery that climbing stairs is now a cardio event.
The percentage of people in a group who die from a particular causeâbasically medical math about inevitable human demise.
Complete Blood Countâa laboratory test that counts every type of blood cell to determine if your immune system is throwing a party or having a meltdown.
A consequence or complication that shows up after a disease resolvesâthe unwelcome gift that keeps giving.
When a patient's body gives up maintaining balance and starts failingâbasically medical surrender in real-time.
Magnetic Resonance Imagingâusing powerful magnets and radio waves to create images without radiation, perfect for hypochondriacs.
The complete absence of sexual desire; what you've got when your libido took an indefinite vacation and forgot to leave a forwarding address.
An objective indication of disease that the physician observes or measuresâthe evidence that proves the patient isn't imagining it.
An obscure protein in your blood plasma that acts as hemoglobin's personal bodyguardâbinding to free hemoglobin to prevent oxidative damage and keep your blood chemistry from rusting from the inside out. It's the unsung hero of hemolysis prevention.
To examine by touchâthe doctor's way of pressing on you while maintaining professional composure.
A sign or symptom uniquely characteristic of a diseaseâthe smoking gun that makes diagnosis obvious.