Medical dictionary

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Nadir: low point.
Narcolepsy: intrusion of REM sleep into wakefulness; onset of deepest sleep in a rapid, overwhelming fashion. The prevalence of narcolepsy has been calculated at about 0.03% of the general population. Further info.
Narcotic: morphine-like drug.
Nasal: nose-related.
Nasolacrimal: nose and tear duct related.
Nasopharynx: the upper part of the tube that lies behind the nasal cavities.
Natriuresis: excretion of sodium by kidneys.
Naturopathy: aims to treat the underlying cause of illness, not just the symptoms. Dieting to stop food intolerance is one of the techniques used.
Nausea: feeling sick.
Nebulizer: a device for making a spray or aerosol; an atomizer.
Necrolysis: gangrene.
Necrosis: pathological death of one or more cells, or of a portion of tissue or organ, resulting from irreversible damage.
Neonatal: new baby-related.
Neonatal hemorrhage: bleeding of brain blood vessels in the newborn.
Neoplasia: the abnormal growth of new tissue, consisting of a neoplasm or tumor.
Neoplasm: an abnormal tissue that grows by cellular proliferation more rapidly than normal.
Neoplastic: tumour-related.
Nephritis: kidney inflammation.
Nephrolith: kidney stone.
Nephrolithiasis: the formation of sediment or small stones in the kidneys.
Nephron: unit of the kidney that consists of the glomerulus and a tubule.
Nephropathy: kidney disease.
Nephrotic: kidney disorder-related.
Nephrotoxic: destructive to the kidneys.
Nerve: one or more bundles of signal-carrying fibers that connect the brain and the spinal cord with other parts of the body.
Neural: nerve-related.
Neural tube defects: serious birth defects that involve incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord and/or protective coverings for these organs.
Neuralgia: a sharp pain along the path of a nerve.
Neuritis: nerve inflammation.
Neuroblast: an early nerve cell.
Neurodermatitis: skin damage caused by scratching.
Neuroleptanalgesia: altered awarenss of pain due to drugs.
Neurological: nervous system-related.
Neuromuscular: muscle and nerve-related.
Neuron: nerve cell.
Neuronal: neuron-related.
Neuropathy: damage to the nerves which may occur as a complication of anti-leukaemia treatment. It usually affects the peripheral nerves (nerves to the arms and legs) and may be reversible when when treatment is stopped or reduced.
Neurosis: an emotional or mental disorder.
Neurotoxic: destructive to nerve tissue.
Neurotransmitter: chemical released by nerve endings.
Neurovegetative: nervous system-related.
Neutropenia: a condition in which theneutrophil count is reduced. It may be caused by high dose chemotherapy and carries an increased risk of infection.
Neutrophil: the most common type of cell within the granulocyte group of white blood cells.
Nidation: fertilisation.
Nipple: the raised area in the center of the areola at the tip of the breast.
Nocturnal enuresis: involuntary urination during sleep that occurs more often than once a month in girls over 5 and in boys over 6 years of age.
Nocturia: frequent urination at night.
Nodal osteoarthritis: a form ofosteoarthritis that runs in families, characterised by knobbly finger swellings(Heberden's nodes) and a tendency to get OA at several sites (especially knees, big toes).
Node: a small, rounded mass of one kind of tissue enclosed in tissue of a different kind ega lymph node.
Nodose: with nodes.
Non-articular rheumatism: a form of rheumatic disease that does not directly affect the joints (articular=of or relating to the joints).
Non-compliant: refers to a patient who is unwilling or unable to follow a treatment regimen exactly as prescribed.
Non-hodgkin's lymphoma: a group oflymphomas which differ in important ways from hodgkin's disease and are classified according to the microscopic appearance of thecancer cells. The disease is classified as either indolent (slowly growing) or aggressive (rapidly growing) and may be treated in a variety of ways depending on the exact diagnosis.
Normotensive: with normal blood pressure.
Nosocomial: disease contracted in hospital.
NSAIDs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Consists of a large range of drugs of the aspirin family, prescribed for different kinds ofarthritis which reduce inflammation and control pain, swelling and stiffness.
Nucleoside: a component molecule of RNA and DNA.
Nucleus: structure in the centre of each cell which contains the chromosomes with their genetic material.
Nummular: coin-like.
Nutrient: an organic or inorganic substance found in food.
Nystagmus: twitchy eyes

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