Medical terminology has been described as a “minefield”. I am a doctor by background and absorbed it as part of my education about body systems and illnesses. It is a bit like your first language – you just pick it up without really thinking too much about it. For those who have not studied medicine or nursing, it must be akin to English as an additional language. I really admire people who learn English later in life, as I am sure it is very difficult. Likewise, I respect non-clinical staff who learn medical terminology from scratch. It can be terrifying starting as a new medical secretary, thrown in at the deep end with incomprehensible dictation. Even with all my knowledge and experience, I have temped as an audiotypist and often found it daunting each time at first.
Much medical terminology is based on Latin and ancient Greek. The two languages may even be combined within the same word. It used to be customary for prospective healthcare professionals to know Latin, although not necessarily Greek. I did Latin for two years, but please do not worry if you have not.
Some medical terms are in more common public use than others and can sound similar. One lady panicked when told she was to have a hysteroscopy (Greek/Latin), assuming it was a hysterectomy (Greek). Both concern the womb (English) or uterus (Latin), but one involves looking and the other removal. “Hyster-“ (Greek) also means womb and is the origin of the pejorative label “hysteria”. I would not blame this patient for becoming hysterical when convinced she needed a more extensive operation.
Regarding everyday conversation, we may talk about “bleeding”, from old English, or the somewhat grander “haemorrhage”, derived from Greek. Latin will not help you in this case. They mean the same, although some consider one is more severe than the other.
You may have heard of cruciate ligaments, as athletes often mention them. This term originates from the Latin “crux”, meaning cross. Related words are: crucial, crucify, crucible, excruciate, crusade, croix (French), croes (Welsh), cruz (Spanish/Portuguese) and cruise. Crux is also an English word in its own right.
Some labels are eponymous, meaning they are named after people who highlighted them. There is no logic to this and you simply have to learn them as they are. People are generally familiar with names such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. You will also be aware of Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, although one administrator that I knew of persistently typed “Two Shines”. “Down’s syndrome” replaced a previous offensive and stigmatising set of terms.
Even English terminology can be confusing. Many people believe a heart attack and cardiac arrest are the same. One can lead to the other or they may be quite separate.
If you are listening to patients or relatives telling their stories, be aware that they may get mixed up. I once heard that someone I knew was on a drip and ventilator, which sounded really dramatic. It turned out that she was simply on drops and an inhaler. Another doctor asked a patient with a sore arm, “Is there any history of injury?” She looked completely blank and I could not resist clarifying, “Have you hurt yourself?” Some people think a fracture is less serious than a break, but they are the same.
Abbreviations may vary according to the context and the whims of individual specialties. ED can be “Emergency Department” or “erectile dysfunction”. DiB can be “difficulty in breathing” or “dead in bed”. PND can be “postnatal depression” or “paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea”.
It is tempting to Google medical terms, but the default search results are often American spellings. Paper dictionaries may be out of date. Therefore, it is wise to be cautious, and also check your auto-correct for sneaky alterations. British terms may have two letters together, such as oe or ae (e.g. coeliac, anaemia), whereas the Americans keep the e and drop the other letter (celiac, anemia). We may know of the practice of homeopathy without realising that the original word was homoeopathy (although with identical pronunciation – “ho-mee-oppa-thee”).
Personally, I find language fascinating and I can help you build your confidence with medical terminology.
Rachel can provide on request workshops for practices or primary care networks, contact enquiries@pcc-cic.org.uk to find out more.
