The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Snake Bites article. Antivenin: Antibodies created in the blood of a horse or sheep when the animal is injected with snake venom. Antivenin acts by neutralizing snake venom that has entered the body. Also called antivenom, snake antivenin, or snake antivenom.
Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.
Depression : An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts, that affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be wished away. People with a depressive disease cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people with depression.
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Diplopia: The condition in which a single object appears as two objects. Also called "double vision." From the Greek diplo- (double) + -opia (vision). See also: Diplopia, binocular; Diplopia, monocular.
Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vagina.
2. The passing of an action potential, such as through a nerve or muscle fiber .
3. The release of a patient from a course of care. The doctor may then dictate a discharge summary.
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Dysphagia: Difficulty in swallowing. Dysphagia is due to problems in nerve or muscle control. It is common, for example, after a stroke . Dysphagia compromises nutrition and hydration and may lead to aspiration pneumonia and dehydration .
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Extremity: The extremities in medical language are not freezing cold or scorching heat but rather the uttermost parts of the body. The extremities are simply the hands and feet.
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Eyelid: The lid or cover of the eye, a movable fold of skin and muscle that can be closed over the eyeball or opened at will. Each eye has an upper and a lower lid. An eyelid is also called a palpebra.
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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.
Family physician: A physician who is educated and trained in family practice .
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FDA: The Food and Drug Administration, an agency within the U.S. Public Health Service, which is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
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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.
Hospital: It may seem unnecessary to define a "hospital" since everyone knows the nature of a hospital. A hospital began as a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm, or young.
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Neurotoxic: Poisonous to nerves or nerve tissue. Mercury and lead are neurotoxic.
Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pain has both physical and emotional components. The physical part of pain results from nerve stimulation. Pain may be contained to a discrete area, as in an injury, or it can be more diffuse, as in disorders like fibromyalgia . Pain is mediated by specific nerve fibers that carry the pain impulses to the brain where their conscious appreciation may be modified by many factors.
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Paralysis: Loss of voluntary movement (motor function). Paralysis that affects only one muscle or limb is partial paralysis, also known as palsy; paralysis of all muscles is total paralysis, as may occur in cases of botulism.
Ptosis: Downward displacement. Ptosis of the eyelids is drooping of the eyelids.
Pulse: The rhythmic contraction and expansion of an artery due to the surge of blood from the beat of the heart. The pulse is most often measured by feeling the arteries of the wrist. There is also a pulse, although far weaker, in veins.
Respiratory: Having to do with respiration, the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. From the Latin re- (again) + spirare (to breathe) = to breathe again.
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.
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Snake: 1. A long limbless scaly reptile, some being poisonous. 2. The symbol of rejuvenation and healing in many ancient Mediterranean cultures. The Greek god Asclepius, who specialized in healing, had a single snake entwined around his staff -- the "Asclepian staff."
Snake bite: A bite of a venomous snake, such as a rattlesnake, copperhead, cottonmouth water moccasin, or coral snake. A bite from one of these snakes should be considered a medical emergency. See also: Rattlesnake bite; Snake antivenin.
Sweating: The act of secreting fluid from the skin by the sweat (sudoriferous) glands. These are small tubular glands situated within and under the skin (in the subcutaneous tissue). They discharge by tiny openings in the surface of the skin.
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Taste: Taste belongs to our chemical sensing system, or the chemosenses. The complicated process of tasting begins when molecules released by the substances stimulate special cells in the mouth or throat. These special sensory cells transmit messages through nerves to the brain where specific tastes are identified.
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Tissue: A tissue in medicine is not like a piece of tissue paper. It is a broad term that is applied to any group of cells that perform specific functions. A tissue in medicine need not form a layer. Thus, - The bone marrow is a tissue;
- Connective tissue consists of cells that make up fibers in the framework supporting other body tissues; and
- Lymphoid tissue is the part of the body's immune system that helps protect it from bacteria and other foreign entities.
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Venom: A poison, particularly one secreted by an animal. For examples, bee venom, snake venom, scorpion venom, and spider venom. Snake venom is also called venin.
Venomous: 1. Full of venom. 2. Having venom, like some snakes and insects. 3. By extension, noxious, as a venomous tongue.
- Nausea and Vomiting - Nausea and vomiting symptoms of many conditions including motion sickness, pregnancy, emotional stress, gallbladder disease, and more. Learn how to recognize the warning signs of nausea and vomiting on MedicineNet.com
- Rhabdomyolysis - Read about rhabdomyolysis, the rapid destruction of skeletal muscle. Some causes include medicaitons (statins), drugs or alcohol, electrolyte imbalances, viruses, infection, severe hypothyroidsim and more.
- First Aid - First aid encompasses many aspects of a medical emergency. It can mean being prepared for an earthquake or hurricane by having a disaster kit, or learning CPR in case of a life threatening medical situation such as a heart attack.
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