MedicineNet.com
About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map
November 8, 2009
MedicineNet home Picture Slideshows Diseases and conditions Symptoms and signs Procedures and tests Medications Health and Living Health news and views MedTerms medical dictionary
 Scabies Main Article |  Glossary |  Scabies Index 

Scabies Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Scabies article.

Bumps: The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured blood vessels into the tissues as well as from the body's response to the injury. A purplish, flat bruise that occurs when blood leaks out into the top layers of skin is referred to as an ecchymosis.
See the entire definition of Bumps

Condition: The term "condition" has a number of biomedical meanings including the following:

  1. An unhealthy state, such as in "this is a progressive condition."
  2. A state of fitness, such as "getting into condition."
  3. Something that is essential to the occurrence of something else; essentially a "precondition."
  4. As a verb: to cause a change in something so that a response that was previously associated with a certain stimulus becomes associated with another stimulus; to condition a person, as in behavioral conditioning.

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contrast, for example, between blood vessels and other tissue.

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease ; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies . 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV.
See the entire definition of Diagnosis

Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.

Eczema: A particular type of inflammatory reaction of the skin in which there are typically vesicles (tiny blister-like raised areas) in the first stage followed by erythema (reddening), edema (swelling), papules (bumps), and crusting of the skin followed, finally, by lichenification (thickening) and scaling of the skin. Eczema characteristically causes itching and burning of the skin.
See the entire definition of Eczema

Family: 1. A group of individuals related by blood or marriage or by a feeling of closeness. 2. A biological classification of related plants or animals that is a division below the order and above the genus. 3. A group of genes related in structure and in function that descended from an ancestral gene. 4. A group of gene products similarly related in structure and function and of shared genetic descent. 5. Parents and their children. The most fundamental social group in humans.

Groin: In anatomy, the area where the upper thigh meets the trunk. More precisely, the fold or depression marking the juncture of the lower abdomen and the inner part of the thigh.
See the entire definition of Groin

Health: As officially defined by the World Health Organization, a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Hives: A raised, itchy area of skin that is usually a sign of an allergic reaction. It can be rounded or flat-topped but is always elevated above the surrounding skin. It reflects circumscribed dermal edema (local swelling of the skin). The hives are usually well circumscribed but may be coalescent and will blanch with pressure. They typically last less than 4 hours but they may stay for days or weeks. Approximately 20% of the population has experienced a bout of hives.
See the entire definition of Hives

Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on the skin or in the skin, and makes the person want to scratch the affected area.
See the entire definition of Itching

Lindane: An organochlorine pesticide and nerve poison. Also a suspected carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). Although many countries have banned lindane, it is still used in the US for treating head lice and scabies . Also known as gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH).
See the entire definition of Lindane

Mite: A tiny eight-legged creature belonging to the Order Acarina related to spiders and ticks. Some mites live freely and others as parasites. Mites can attack plants and animals, carry disease, and cause allergies. acaricide.

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constricted part of a bone or organ that joins its parts as, for example, the neck of the femur bone.
See the entire definition of Neck

Nurse: 1) A person trained, licensed, or skilled in nursing. 2) To feed an infant at the breast.

back to top

Nursing: 1) Profession concerned with the provision of services essential to the maintenance and restoration of health by attending the needs of sick persons. 2) Feeding a infant at the breast.

Penis: The external male sex organ used to copulate and ejaculate semen and to convey urine outside the body. In Latin, the word "penis" originally meant "a tail ." The Latin "penis" is related to the verb pendere meaning "to hang down."
See the entire definition of Penis

Pimples: Small papules or pustules. See: Pimple.

Scabies: Infestation of the skin by the human itch mite, Sarcaptes scabies. The initial symptom of scabies are red, raised bumps that are intensely itchy. A magnifying glass will reveal short, wavy lines of red skin, which are the burrows made by the mites. Treatment is with any of several scabicide medications.

Sense: In biology and medicine, the faculty of sensory reception. The ability to convey specific types of external or internal stimuli to the brain and perceive them. Sensory reception occurs through a process known as transduction in which stimuli are converted into nerve impulses which are relayed to the brain.
See the entire definition of Sense

Sexually transmitted disease: Any disease transmitted by sexual contact; caused by microorganisms that survive on the skin or mucus membranes of the genital area; or transmitted via semen, vaginal secretions, or blood during intercourse. Because the genital areas provide a moist, warm environment that is especially conducive to the proliferation of bacteria, viruses, and yeasts, a great many diseases can be transmitted this way. They include AIDS, chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts , gonorrhea, syphilis, yeast infections, and some forms of hepatitis. Also known as a morbus venereus or venereal disease.
See the entire definition of Sexually transmitted disease

Skin: The skin is the body's outer covering. It protects us against heat and light, injury, and infection. It regulates body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. Weighing about 6 pounds, the skin is the body's largest organ. It is made up of two main layers; the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.


See the entire definition of Skin

Sleep : The body's rest cycle.
See the entire definition of Sleep back to top

 Scabies Main Article |  Glossary |  Scabies Index 




Suggested Reading by Our Doctors
MedicineNet Doctors
  • diphenhydramine, Benadryl - Explains the medication diphenhydramine (Benadryl), a drug used for the relief of nasal and non-nasal symptoms of various allergic conditions such as seasonal allergic rhinitis.
  • Rash - Learn about rash causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. Common skin rashes include poison ivy, hives, shingles, eczema, contact dermatitis, ringworm, psoriasis and impetigo.
  • permethrin-topical cream, Elimite - Consumer information about the medication PERMETHRIN - TOPICAL CREAM (Elimite), includes side effects, drug interactions, recommended dosages, and storage information. Read more about the prescription drug PERMETHRIN - TOPICAL CREAM.

Latest Medical News


Women's Health

Find out what women really need.


Are you Depressed? Take the Quiz

Your Guide to Symptoms & Signs: Pinpoint Your Pain



Scabies

What are the different types of common skin rashes?

Whether it is used by patients or doctors, the word "rash" does not have an exact meaning or refer to a specific disease or kind of disorder. It's a general term that means an outbreak of bumps on the body that changes the way the skin looks and feels. Rashes can be localized to one area or else be widespread. The way people use this term, a rash can refer to many different skin conditions. Common categories of rash are

  • scaly patches of skin not caused by infection
  • scaly patches of skin produced by fungal or bacterial infection, and
  • red, itchy bumps or patches all over the body.

Although rashes are seldom dangerous, self-diagnosis is not usually a good idea. Proper evaluation of a skin rash requires a visit to a doctor or other healthcare professional. The following guidelines may help you decide what category your rash falls into.

Scaly pa...

Read the Rash article »










Health categories:

Slideshows | Diseases & Conditions | Symptoms & Signs | Procedures & Tests | Medications | Health & Living | News & Views | Medical Dictionary

Popular health centers:

Allergies | Arthritis | Cancer | Diabetes | Digestion | Healthy Kids | Heart | Men's Health | Mental Health | Women's Health | More...

Publications:

ePublications (PDFs) | XML News via RSS | Audio Podcasts | Email Newsletters

MedicineNet.com:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map | WebMD® | Medscape® | eMedicine® | eMedicineHealth® | RxList®

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify. This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.

©1996-2009 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Notices and Legal Disclaimer.
MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.