Glossary of terms used on this site
There are 324 entries in this glossary.A
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Abdomen |
The part of the body below the ribs and above the pelvic bone that contains organs like the intestines, the liver, the kidneys, the stomach, the bladder, and the prostate. |
| Abdominal |
Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis. The abdomen is separated anatomically from the chest by the diaphragm, the powerful muscle spanning the body cavity below the lungs. |
| Acquired anorgasmia |
Inability to have an orgasm due to side effects of medical therapy. |
| Adenoma |
A benign, noncancerous tumor in which the cells form glandular structures |
| Alcohol abuse |
Use of alcoholic beverages to excess, either on individual occasions or as a regular practice. For some individuals-children or pregnant women, for example-almost any amount of alcohol use may be legally considered alcohol abuse, depending on local laws. Heavy alcohol abuse can cause physical damage and death. |
| Alprostadil |
A type of drug called a vasodilator. These drugs can increase blood flow by expanding blood vessels. |
| Alzheimer disease |
A common form of dementia of unknown cause, usually beginning in late middle age, characterized by memory lapses, confusion, emotional instability, and progressive loss of mental ability. |
| Androderm |
Topical form (patch) of testosterone used for testosterone replacement therapy. |
| Androgel |
Gel form of testosterone used for testosterone replacement therapy. |
| Androgens |
Hormones that are necessary for the development and function of the male sexual organs and male sexual characteristics (e.g., hair, voice change). |
| Anejaculation |
Inability to ejaculate. |
| Anemia |
The condition of having less than the normal number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. The oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is, therefore, decreased. |
| Anesthesia |
The loss of feeling or sensation. With respect to surgery, means the loss of sensation of pain, as it is induced to allow surgery or other painful procedures to be performed. General - A state of unconsciousness, produced by anesthetic agents, with absence of pain sensation over the entire body and a greater or lesser degree of muscle relaxation. Local - Anesthesia confined to one part of the body. Spinal - Anesthesia produced by injection of a local anesthetic into the subarachnoid space around the spinal cord. |
| Aneurysm |
Pertaining to a penile prosthesis, an abnormal dilation of the prosthesis related to weakening of a part of the cylinder. |
| Angina |
Pain in the chest, with a feeling of suffocation, that occurs with decreased blood flow and oxygenation to the heart. |