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. See the entire definition of Antivenin
Clinical trials: Trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medications or medical devices by monitoring their effects on large groups of people. See the entire definition of Clinical trials
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. See the entire definition of Depression
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.
Dysphagia: Difficulty in swallowing, swallowing problems. 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. See the entire definition of Dysphagia
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. See the entire definition of Extremity
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.
Family physician: A physician who is educated and trained in family practice. See the entire definition of Family physician
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. See the entire definition of FDA
Immune: Protected against infection. The Latin immunis means free, exempt.
Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease, appears in a particular population or area. In disease epidemiology, the incidence is the number of newly diagnosed cases during a specific time period. The incidence is distinct from the prevalence which refers to the number of cases alive on a certain date.
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. See the entire definition of Pain
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.
Snake bites: 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. See the entire definition of Sweating
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. See the entire definition of Taste
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 is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Rhabdomyolysis is a rapid deterioration and destruction of skeletal muscle. Some of the causes of rhabdomyolysis include severe burns, muscle trauma, coma, seizures, electrolyte imbalance, medications (statins), viruses, bacteria. Treatment of rhabdomyolysis depends on the cause.
Compartment syndrome is a condition in which swelling and an increase in pressure within a limited space presses and compresses blood vessels, nerves, or tendons that run through the compartment. There are two types of compartment syndrome, acute compartment syndrome is treated with surgery (fasciotomy) and chronic compartment syndrome, which is treated with rest and modality to the affected limb. Symptoms of compartment syndrome include pain, change in sensation, change in color, paralysis, or numbness in the affected limb.
First aid is a complicated subject and it is situation-specific. First aid is the help and medical assistance that someone gives, not only to an injured person, but to a person who is sick. Preparedness is a key element of first aid, like having basic medical emergency kits in your home, car, boat, or RV. Cuts, puncture wounds, sprains, strains, nosebleeds are one type of injury that may require first aid; heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and heat stroke are examples of more critical first aid emergencies.
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of an underlying disease and not a specific
illness. Nausea is the sensation that the stomach wants to empty itself, while
vomiting (emesis) or throwing up, is the act of forcible emptying of the
stomach.
Vomiting is a violent act in which the stomach has to overcome the pressures
that are normally in place to keep food and secretions within the stomach. The
stomach almost turns itself inside out - forcing itself into the lower portion
of the esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach) during a
vomiting episode.
What causes nausea or vomiting?
There are numerous causes of nausea and vomiting. These symptoms may be due
to the following:
acute gastritis
central causes (signals from the brain)
association with other illnesses remote from the stomach
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