Have you ever looked at a doctor's note or the letters and numbers on a prescription and been confused? Health professionals often use abbreviations, acronyms, and other medical terminology to quickly search and accurately record information about their patients. But what do all these terms mean? In this article, we'll explore the world of medical terminology and provide a comprehensive list of common abbreviations and acronyms used in the healthcare community. MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There is no standard or approved list that health professionals use to search for medical acronyms or abbreviations.
Therefore, it is important to understand the context in which the abbreviation or term has been used. Abbreviations, acronyms and medical terminology are used for many conditions and for instructions on medications prescribed by the doctor. Have you ever seen the doctor's notes in your medical record and found peculiar abbreviations and jargon? If you have high blood pressure, you are at risk of developing life-threatening diseases, such as strokes and heart attacks. Medical terminology follows the same structural rules as all languages, including the use of prefixes and suffixes.
You may be familiar with some of these words that are outside the scope of medicine. Applicants to DO and MD universities generally have a 4-year undergraduate degree with an emphasis on science courses, and both complete 4 years of basic medical education. According to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), osteopathic medicine is a complete system of health care with a philosophy that combines the needs of the patient with the current practice of medicine. This form of manual medicine allows DOs to examine the back and other parts of the body (such as joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles) for pain and restriction during movement that could indicate injury or impaired function. Disgusted by the ineffectiveness of his fellow practitioners during the Civil War, Dr.
Andrew Taylor Still decided to focus on the body's ability to heal itself and began to emphasize preventive medicine. Even so, supplementing your current knowledge with some additional medical terms, abbreviations and acronyms can help you better understand what you hear in the world of healthcare.
Common Medical Abbreviations & Acronyms
The world of medical terminology is quite wide, so this list is organized by categories to make it a little easier to digest:- Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
- Aortic Stenosis
- Auris Sinistra (Left Ear)
