Jennifer L. Dorsey

Grasping medical terminology starts with knowing the body’s systems, recognizing medical root words commonly used, understanding the Greek influence in medical terminology, and learning those pesky hard-to-spell medical words.Your Body’s SystemsYour body is made up of many systems, each having their own vital parts that work together.

The roots, as always, are essential medical terminology knowledge because once you master these roots (those good ol’ Greek and Latin ones, that is), you can break down any skeletal-related word and discover its meaning. Once you’ve gotten to know the specific parts of the skeletal system a bit better, it’s time to put your expertise into practice by breaking down the root words into meanings and useful applications.

You will need to know the medical terminology for the appendicular skeleton and joints in the body. How else will you be able to talk about bones and how they connect in a medical setting? Appendicular skeleton Think of the word appendage when your thoughts turn to the appendicular skeleton. These are your reachers, grabbers, and hoofers.

The musculoskeletal system is made up of muscles and joints and, therefore, lots of medical terms. The muscles — all 600 of them and more — are responsible for movement. The skeleton provides attachment points and support for muscles, but it’s the muscle tissue’s ability to extend and contract that makes movement happen.

The root of a word is its main part and core meaning. These common medical root words give you a general idea of what you’re dealing with or specify a body part. Abdomin/o: Abdomen Aden/o: Gland Anter/o: Front Arteri/o: Artery Audi/o: Hearing Bio: Life Brachi/o: Arm Bronch/i, bronch/o: Br

Medical plurals are a bit different from the standard, everyday English variety. There are a few rules that can help you derive a plural the medical way. Read on to familiarize yourself with the nuances of medical plural building. Medical rules for forming plurals Some rules for pluralizing medical terms are as follows, with examples of the rule and exceptions to the rule.

The makeup of the male reproductive system, with all its tubes, ducts, and medical terms can be complicated and subject to several types of conditions. Make sure you’re familiar with the vocabulary. Pathological male reproductive conditions Here are some of the pathological conditions associated with the male reproductive system: Adenocarcinoma of the prostate: Malignant tumor of the prostate; second most common cause of cancer deaths in men over 50; radical (complete) prostatectomy along with radiation and chemotherapy is the most common treatment Andropathy: Diseases of the male Anorchism: The state of absence of a testicle, one or both Aspermia: Condition of absence of sperm Balanocele: Protrusion of glans penis (through rupture of prepuce) Balanitis: Inflammation of glans penis Balanorrhea: Excessive discharge from the glans penis, often the first symptom of a sexually transmitted disease BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy/hyperplasia): Enlargement or excessive development of prostate gland in males over 60 years of age, can cause a urinary obstruction with inability to empty the bladder completely or all at once; surgical treatment is prostatectomy Cryptorchidism: Undescended testicle (crypt meaning “hidden”); two months before birth, testicles should descend into scrotal sac Epididymitis: Inflammation of the epididymis Epispadias: Congenital (present at birth) opening of the male urethra on the upper surface of penis Erectile dysfunction: Inability of male to attain or maintain an erection to perform sexual intercourse Hydrocele: Hernia or sac of fluid in the testis or in the tube leading from the testis, can occur in infancy and usually resolves during the first year of life Hypospadias: Congenital opening of the male urethra on the undersurface of the penis (present at birth) Impotence: Lack of power to obtain erection or to copulate Oligospermia: Condition of scanty sperm (in seminal fluid) Orchitis/orchiditis: Inflammation of testes or a testis Phimosis: Narrowing of the opening of the foreskin over the glans penis that does not allow the foreskin to retract, obstructing urination and causing secretions to accumulate under the prepuce, leading to infection Priapism: Prolonged abnormal erection of penis with pain and tenderness Prostatitis: Inflammation of the prostate gland Prostatocystitis: Inflammation of prostate gland and bladder Prostatolith: Stone in the prostate Prostatorrhea: Excessive discharge from the prostate Testicular carcinoma: Malignant tumor of the testis, classified according to type of tissue involved; examples: seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, and teratocarcinoma (a malignant teratoma); commonly treated with surgery: orchidectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy Testicular torsion: Twisting of spermatic cord causing decreased blood flow to testicle; occurs most often during puberty; considered a surgical emergency Varicocele: Large, herniated, swollen veins near the testis, associated with oligospermia (lower than normal amount of sperm) and infertility Male reproductive diseases and pathology Unfortunately, some of the most common diseases of the male reproductive system are the kind that make headlines, and not in a good way.

If you really want to be able to talk about the male reproductive system, it’s time to learn the necessary medical terminology. To really stretch a metaphor, as the human race needs both male and female reproductive systems in order to survive by creating new life, the medical terms associated with the male reproductive system need both prefixes and suffixes to create new words.