1. The Language of the Health Profession
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Imagine yourself in a foreign country where you do not speak the language. Even simple conversations would be difficult. For example, what if you need
to explain how to sew a dress to someone who does not know what certain words like baste, zipper, and stitch mean? No matter how intelligent you are, you would look pretty silly making sounds and gestures to explain simple sewing procedures.
Each profession has its own language and jargon that makes it difficult for others to fully understand what is being said. (Comic) It is important to realize, however, that this specialized language is needed in order to communicate accurately and concisely. You have chosen to pursue an interest in the medical profession and it is important that you learn to “speak the lingo.”
The Language of the Health Profession

2. ORIGIN OF MEDICAL TERMS
Hippocrates was a Greek physician and is known as the “father of medicine.”
75% of medical terms are based on either Greek or Latin words.
What’s in a word? The answer is a lot if it is a medical term. Each medical term has a basic word root or stem that usually comes from the Greek or Latin language. In fact 75% percent of medical terms are based on either Greek or Latin words.(Click) The Greeks were the founders of modern medicine, although Latin has become the universal source of medical language. Hippocrates was a Greek physician who lived from 460 to 377 B.C. and whose vital role in medicine is still recognized today. He is called the “Father of Medicine” and is credited with establishing early ethical standards for physicians.
Defining medical terms is a lot like a puzzle. Most medical terms are a combination of two or more word parts or elements. The identification of a word involves a search for the meaning of each of its parts. When they are translated separately and combined into a word, the parts give the essential meaning of the entire word. (Give example- Tonsilitis, Hysterectomy` Osteoarthritis, Cardiomegaly.)

3. What are some prefixes You already know?
Word element located at the beginning of a word
Changes the meaning of the word
Usually indicates a number, time, position, direction, color, or sense of negation
What are some prefixes
You already know?

4. Prefixes to know: Prefixes Examples: A-, An- Without or No
Ab- Away from
Ad- Toward
Anti- Against (prevent)
Dys- Difficult, Painful, Bad
Atraumatic: Without Injury
Abduction: Take away from midline
Aduction: Move toward midline
Antiemetics: work against/prevent vomitting
Dysphagia: difficult eating or swallowing.

5. Prefixes to Know:
Prefixes:
Examples:
Ecto- Outside
Endo- Within or Inside
Exo-Without, out of, away from
Hyper-elevated or more than normal
Hypo- depressed or less than normal
Ectoparasite: organism that lives on the outer surface of host.
Endocrine: Secretes internally.
Exocrine: Secretes externally.
Hyperglycemia: elevated amounts of blood sugar
Hypoglycemia: depressed amounts of blood glucose

6. Prefixes to Know Inter- means between Intra- means within
Examples
Prefixes
Inter- means between
Intra- means within
Oligo- Scant or Little
Peri- Around
Poly- Many
Intercostal: between the ribs
Intramuscular: within the muscle
Oliguria: Depressed amount of frequency of urination
Perioperative: The time around an operation .
Polyuria: elevated amount or frequency of urination.

7. Prefixes to Know: Post- After Pre- Before Sub- Below, Under, Less
Example:
Post- After
Pre- Before
Sub- Below, Under, Less
Super- (a) Above, Beyond, Excessive
Bi- Two
Tri- Three
Postoperative: after an operation
Preoperative: before or preceding an operation.
Sublingual: under the tongue.
Suprascapular: above the shoulder
Biceps: two division muscle
Tricep: three division muscle

8. Prefixes to Know: Quadri- Four Mega- Large Brady- Slow Tachy- Rapid
Example:
Quadri- Four
Mega- Large
Brady- Slow
Tachy- Rapid
De- away from, remove, down
Mal- bad, poor
Quadricep: Muscle with four divisions.
Megacolon: too large of a colon
Bradycardia: Slow heart rate
Tachycardia: Rapid heart rate
Dehydrate: loss of body water
Malnourished: poor nutrition

9. Let’s Practice Prefixes!!!
-Prefix Word Drill Worksheet
“Find Your Match” Activity

10. SUFFIX
A suffix is the word ending that follows the word root and changes its meaning.
Often indicates the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease.
(Click) A suffix is the word ending that follows the word root and changes its meaning. (Click) Suffixes usually, but not always, indicate the procedure, condition, disorder, or disease,
(click)
Tonsil - root word means tonsil.
-itis - suffix means inflammation.
Tonsilitis - means inflammation of the tonsils.
(Click through others and give examples)

11. Suffixes to Know -ac -al -an -ar -ary -eal -ic -ine -ous -tic
Suffix: “Pertaining To”
Example:
-ac
-al
-an
-ar
-ary
-eal
-ic
-ine
-ous
-tic
cardiAC : pertaining to heart
renAL: pertaining to the kidney
ovariAN: pertaining to the ovary
lumbAR: pertaining to the loin
alimentARY: pertaining to the gastrointestinal tract
laryngEAL: pertaining to larynx
enterIC: pertaining to intestines
uterINE: pertaining to the uterus
cutaneOUS: pertaining to skin
nephroTIC: pertaining to kidneys

12. Suffixes to Know: Examples -Suffiixes -ectomy: surgical removal
Procedural
Examples
-Suffiixes
-ectomy: surgical removal
-pexy: suture to stabilize
-plasty: surgical repair
-stomy: surgically created opening
-tomy: cutting into
-centesis: surgical puncture to remove fluid or gas
-gram: record of
-graph: instrument that records
-lysis: separation/breakdown
-therapy: treatment
Mastectomy: removal of the breast
Gastropexy: stabilize stomach to abdominal wall
Rhinoplasty: surgical repair of nose
Colostomy: surgical opening between colon and body surface
Laparotomy: incision into abdomen
Cystocentesis: puncture of urinary bladder with needle to remove fluid
Electrocardiogram: hard copy of record
Electrocardiograph: machine records electrical activity of the heart.
Urinalysis: seperation of urine into its constituents
Chemotherapy: treatment with chemicals

13. Suffixes to Know -scope: instrument to visually examine.
Examples:
-scope: instrument to visually examine.
-scopy: procedure to visually examine
-rrhage: bursting forth
-osis: abnormal condition
-pathy: disease
-megaly: enlargement
-uria: condition of urine
-emia: blood condition
-logy: study of
Endoscope: instrument used to view inside of body
Endoscopy: procedure to examine inside of body
Hemorrhage: bursting forth of blood from vessel
Cardiosis: abnormality in heart
Enteropathy: disease of intestines
Cardiomegaly: enlargement of the heart
Dysuria: difficult/painful urination
Anemia: deficient red blood cells
Biology: study of life

14. Let’s Practice Suffixes!
Suffix Word Drill

15. ROOT WORDS A root is the foundation or basic meaning of a word.
May appear with a prefix or suffix, or between a prefix or suffix.
The fundamental method of building a medical vocabulary consists of breaking down a word and identifying its elements: prefix, suffix, root or roots, and combining form.
Root (Click)
A root is the foundation, or basic meaning of a word (click) and may appear with a prefix, or a suffix, or between a prefix and suffix. Prefixes and suffixes can never stand alone; they must always be attached to a root. (click) The word root for heart is cardi. However, the term cardi is not normally used by itself. It is commonly combined with another root word, prefix, or suffix to from a complete medical word.
(Look at list of root words)

16. Root Words to Know tooth heart electricity liver intestines nerve
stomach
blood
uterus/womb
abdomen
breast
Nose
cardi -
hepat-
neur -
nephr -
cyst-
Arthr/o :
Chem/o :
Col/o :
Cutane/o :
heart
liver
nerve
kidney
cell
Joint
Chemical/ drug
Colon
Skin
Dent/i :
Electr/o:
Enter/o:
Gastr/o :
Hem/o :
Hyster/o:
Lapar/o :
Mast- :
Nas/o :

17. Root Words to Know: Oste/o: Ovari/o: Radi/o: Rect/o: Rhin/o: Urin/o:
Meaning:
Oste/o:
Ovari/o:
Radi/o:
Rect/o:
Rhin/o:
Urin/o:
Uter/o:
Bone
Ovary
X-rays, radioactivity, radius
Rectum
Nose
Urine
Uterus (womb)

18. Cardiology Cardi - root means heart.
-ology - suffix means the study of.
Cardiology - the study of the heart.
(Click)Cardi -root word means heart
(Click) -ology - suffix means the study of
(Click) Cardiology - the study of the heart
Natal - root word means birth
-ology - suffix means study of
Natalogy - the study of birth.

19. Nephritis Nephr - root words means kidney
-itis suffix means inflammation
Nephritis means inflammation of the kidney

20. Break down and define the following medical terms.
pericarditis
leukocyte
hepatitis
neuroplasty

21. pericarditis

22. leukocyte leuko- prefix means white cyte - root word means cell
leukocyte means white cell

23. hepatitis hepat - root word means liver
-itis - suffix means inflammation
hepatitis - means inflammation of the liver

24. neuroplasty neuro - root word means nerve or nerves
-plasty - suffix means surgical repair
neuroplasty means surgical repair of the nerve

25. Combining Forms
Combining form consists of the word root and a connecting vowel to make it easier to pronounce and attach another root word or suffix.
Combining form for heart is cardi
Combining form associated with cells is cyt
(Click) The combining form consists of the word root and a connecting vowel to make it easier to pronounce and atach another root word or suffix
(Click) The combining form for heart is cardi/o
(Click) The combining form associated with cells is cyt/o
(Click) The combining term associated with tissue is hist/o
Once again the terms cyt and hist represent the word roots or foundations. The combining forms can not be put together with prefixes, suffixes, and other root words to produce a multitude of medical terms.

26. Basic Rules for the Combining Vowel
The combining vowel is not used when the suffix begins with a vowel. (neuritis)
The combining vowel is used when the suffix begins with a consonant. (neuroplasty)
(Click)There are some basic rules which determine when the combining vowel is used and is not used.
(Click) The combining vowel is not used when the suffix begins with a vowel.
Neur/o -nerve
-it is - inflammation
Neuritis - inflammation of nerves or a nerve
(Click) The combining vowel is used when the suffix begins with a consonant.
Neur/o - means nerve or nerves
-plasty - suffix means surgical repair
Neuroplasty - surgical repair of the nerve
Practice Sheet for homework.

27. THE END