Natural Medicine and Health Glossary - A guide to terminology.

NATURAL MEDICINE AND HEALTH GLOSSARY "O"

Term	Synonyms	Definition
Oat cell cancer	Small cell lung cancer	Lung cancer whose cells look like oats when they are viewed under the microscope.
Oat cell carcinoma		Another term for small-cell carcinoma.
Obese		Obesity occurs when a person has too much body fat. Obesity is not the same as being overweight; a person is considered obese when they weigh 20% or more of the maximum desirable weight for their height.
Obesity		Abnormal body weight, usually defined as more than 20 percent above average for age, height and bone structure.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder		A mental disorder in which a person is obsessed with certain thoughts, leading them to repeatedly perform specific acts; for example, constantly washing the hands out of fear of germs and dirt.
Obstetrician		A doctor who attends pregnant women and delivers babies.
Obstruction, high-grade or low-grade		Severe or mild blockage.
Obstructive lung disease		A condition in which there is a persistent disruption of air flow into and out of the lungs.
Obstructive sleep apnea		The blockage of the airways during sleep, which causes breathing to stop for very short periods of time, commonly caused by excessive relaxation of muscles at the back of the throat.
Occipital		Pertaining to the back of the head.
Occipital lobe		Area at the back of the brain that receives and processes visual information.
Occlusion		Closure of a passage such as ducts or blood vessels. In dentistry, the alignment of upper and lower teeth when the jaws are closed.
Occult		Obscure; hard to detect.
Occult bleeding	Hidden bleeding	Bleeding that is not obvious.
Occult blood		The blood in the feces that can be detected only by chemical tests.
Occupational disease		A disease that occurs as a result of factors in the workplace.
Occupational therapy		Treatment to relearn physical skills lost as a result of an illness or accident.
Ochlophobia		The fear of crowds.
Ocular		Pertaining to the eye.
Oculomotor nerves		Nerves that stimulate movement of the eyeball.
Oculoplethysmography		Test used to measure blood flow to the eye; may help determine whether a carotid artery is blocked.
Odema		A painless swelling caused by fluid retention beneath the skin's surface.
Odynephobia		The fear of pain.
Oestrogen		A hormone produced by the ovary, necessary for the development of female secondary sexual characteristics.
OGTT	Oral Glucose Tolerance Test	A test to see if a person has diabetes.
Oleo gum resin		A natural exudation from plants and trees that consists mainly of essential oil, gum and resin.
Oleoresin		Resins and volatile oils in a homogenous mixture.
Olfaction		The sense of smell.
Olfactory		Pertaining to sense of smell.
Olfactory nerves		Nerves that play a role in the sense of smell.
Oligodendroglioma		A rare type of cancerous brain tumor that occurs most commonly in the cerebrum.
Oligohydramnios		An unusually small amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus in the uterus, which can lead to complications with the pregnancy.
Oligospermia		A low level of sperm in the semen; one of the main causes of infertility in men.
Omega-3 fatty acid		A polyunsaturated fatty acid found in fish that may help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.
Ommaya reservoir		A device implanted under the scalp and used to deliver anticancer drugs to the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Oncogenes		Genes present in normal cells that, upon exposure to cancer-inducing factors may lead to development of tumors.
Oncologist		A doctor who specializes in treating cancer.
Oncology		The study of cancers.
Oocyte	Egg, Ovum	Female sex cell.
One step procedure		Biopsy and surgical treatment combined into a single operation.
Oophorectomy		The surgical removal of one or both ovaries; used to treat the growth of ovarian cysts or tumors.
Open heart surgery		Opening the heart to operate on its structures; see Cardiopulmonary bypass
Open reduction and fixation		Surgical correction of a bone-break, in contrast with simple splintage or other rigid immobilisation.
Ophidiophobia		A fear of snakes.
Ophthalmia		A severe inflammation of the eyes.
Ophthalmologist		A doctor who specializes in care of the eyes; treats eye diseases and disorders.
Ophthalmoplegia		A partial or total loss of the ability to move the eyes.
Ophthalmoscope		A lighted instrument used to examine the inside of the eye, including the retina and the optic nerve.
Ophthalmoscopy		The examination of the inside of the eye using a lighted viewing instrument.
Opportunistic infection		An infection caused by an infectious agent that would not normally make a healthy person sick.
Optic		Pertaining to the eyes.
Optician		A person who specializes in the making and adjustment of eyeglasses and contact lenses.
Optic nerve		Nerve that carries visual impulses from the retina to the brain.
Optic neuritis		An inflammation of the optic nerve, often causing a partial loss of vision.
Optometrist		A professional trained to test, detect, and treat eye problems by prescribing and adapting corrective lenses and other optical aids.
Oral contraceptives		Drugs taken in pill form to prevent pregnancy; contain synthetic progesterone and estrogen hormones.
Oral hypoglycemic agents		Pills or capsules that lower the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. The pills work for certain people whose pancreas still makes some insulin. They can help the body in several ways, such as causing the cells in the pancreas to release more insulin. All oral hypoglycemic agents belong to a class of drugs known as sulfonylureas.
Oral surgeon		A dentist with special training in surgery of the mouth and jaw.
Orbit		Eye socket.
Orbital		Relating to the eye-socket.
Orchiectomy		The surgical removal of one or both of the testicles.
Orchiopexy		An operation to correct an undescended testicle.
Orchitis		The inflammation of a testicle, which can be caused by infection with the mumps virus.
Orexigenic
Organ
Organ donation		An agreement to allow one or more organs to be removed and transplanted into someone else.
Organism		Any single, functioning form of life.
Orgasm		Climax of sexual excitement.
Oropharynx		The area of the throat at the back of the mouth.
Orphan drugs		Drugs used to treat rare diseases; not normally produced because potential sales are small.
Orthopnea		Difficulty breathing except in an upright position.
Orthostatic hypotension		Drop in blood pressure upon standing; may lead to light-headedness or fainting.
Orthotic		A device used to correct or control deformed bones, muscles, or joints.
Osgood-Schlatter disease		A painful enlargement and inflammation of the area of the shinbone just below the knee, usually occurring in adolescent boys.
Osmosis		The process of passage of the solvent portion of a lesser-concentrated solution through a semipermeable membrane into a higher-concentrated solution until the two solutions are equal in concentration; plays an important role in water distribution in the body.
Osseous		Pertaining to bones.
Ossicle		A small bone, in this case in the middle ear.
Ossification		The formation and maintenance of bone.
Osteitis		The inflammation of bone.
Osteitis deformans		Another name for Paget's disease.
Osteoarthritis		See Degenerative arthritis.
Osteoblast		A cell that forms bone.
Osteochondritis dissecans		Bone degeneration inside of a joint, causing small pieces of bone and cartilage to become detached.
Osteochondritis juvenilis		An inflammation of a growing section of bone in a child or adolescent.
Osteochondroma		A noncancerous tumor made up of bone and cartilage.
Osteoclast		A cell that breaks down unwanted bone tissue; also refers to a device for fracturing a bone to correct a deformity.
Osteodystrophy		Defective bone formation.
Osteogenesis imperfecta		A genetic disorder in which bones are abnormally fragile, leading to multiple breaks and deformity.
Osteogenic		Derived from bone.
Osteoid osteoma		A benign tumor of bone, which may be locally invasive.
Osteolysis		The softening and destruction of bone.
Osteoma		A noncancerous bone tumor.
Osteomalacia	Rickets	The loss of minerals and softening of bones because of a lack of vitamin D; called rickets in children.
Osteomyelitis		The inflammation of bones and bone marrow because of an infection, usually caused by bacteria.
Osteopathy		A branch of medicine that specializes in treatment that allows the body to heal itself by removing internal and external roadblocks to normal function; any bone disease.
Osteopetrosis		A rare hereditary disorder in which bones become harder and more dense, causing them to break more easily.
Osteophyte		An outgrowth of bone near a joint.
Osteoporosis		Loss of calcium and other substances from bones, causing bones to become weak and prone to fractures.
Osteosarcoma		A cancerous bone tumor.
Osteosclerosis		An abnormal increase in density and hardness of bone.
Osteotome		A rotating blade designed for cutting bone.
Ostomy		A surgically created opening in which a portion of the urinary tract or bowel is brought to the abdominal surface. A generic word for all types of ostomies (urostomy, colostomy, or ileostomy).
Otalgia		The medical term for an earache.
OTC remedy		See Over-the-counter remedy.
Otitis		An inflammation of the ear.
Otiitis externa		An inflammation of the outer ear due to an infection; commonly called swimmer's ear.
Otitis media		An inflammation of the middle ear (between the eardrum and inner ear) because of the spread of an infection from the nose, sinuses, and throat.
Otolaryngologist		A doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the ear, nose, and throat.
Otorrhea		A discharge from an inflamed ear.
Otosclerosis		Progressive deafness caused by bone formation around structures in the middle ear.
Ototoxicity		A harmful effect that some drugs have on the organs or nerves in the ears, which can lead to hearing and balance problems.
Outpatient treatment		Medical attention that does not include an overnight stay at a hospital.
Ovarian cyst		A pathological but usually noncancerous cavity in the ovary containing fluid, semisolid material or gas, and lined by a membrane.
Ovaries		Female reproductive organs that produce eggs and hormones.
Ovary		An ovary or "egg sac" is one of a pair of reproductive glands in women. The ovaries produce the ovum or female egg which is transferred through the fallopian tube for fertilization by the sperm. The ovary also produces both the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Ovate		Egg shaped.
Overdose		An excessively large dose of a drug, which can lead to coma and death.
Over-the-counter remedy	OTC	A product which is sold without a prescription.
Overt diabetes		Diabetes in the person who shows clear symptoms of the disease, such as a great thirst and the need to urinate often.
Ovulation		The release of an egg from the ovary.
Ovum		An ovum is an egg that exists in the ovary of the female. This egg is called the female "gamete" or sex cell. It combines with the male gamete, called a sperm, to form a zygote. This formation process is called "fertilization." See sperm, zygote.
Oxidation		A chemical reaction involving active sources of oxygen (called oxygen free radicals) that damages cells.
Oximetry		Determination of the amount of oxygen in the blood by measuring the amount of light transmitted through an area of skin.
Oxygen		A gas present in air that is vital to life.
Oxygen free radicals		The active forms of oxygen found in pollution, cigarette smoke, and radiation that can damage cells and are believed to play a role in the aging process and cancer.
Oxytocic		A natural or synthetic hormone which causes contraction of the uterine muscle.
Oxytocic Challenge Test		Non Stress Test with pharmacologically-provoked mild uterine contractions, further to assess the resilience of a viable fetus to the stress of labour.
Oxytocin		Pituitary hormone that contributes to the start of labor and stimulates the breasts to release milk.
Ozone		A poisonous form of oxygen that is present in the earth's upper atmosphere, where it helps to screen the earth from damaging ultraviolet rays.

The Pure-Li Natural website is currently under construction.