Presentation: Chapter 12

Phil Traini

Medical terminology• Medical terminology is a language of its own.

This language helps professionals accurately describe the human body along with any conditions associated with it in a scientific manner.

• There are 3 parts when considering the systematic approach of creating a word: prefixes, word roots, and suffixes.

• So these parts of words help

Suffix Defined• What is a suffix?

• A suffix is placed at the end of the root word in order to add meaning in terms of condition, disease, and/or procedure.

• Examples:

• One suffix example is -plegia. -Plegia means paralysis and can help identify the condition and individual is suffering from after properly identifying the root word.

• A second example is -phasia. -Phasia means speech.

•

Suffix -Plegia relating to nervous system

• In the nervous system chapter of our textbook there are two disorders referring to -plegia: quadriplegia and paraplegia. Both of these disorders relate to paralysis within the human body.

Quadriplegia

• Quadriplegia occurs when paralysis takes place in all four limbs.

• This can be caused by spinal trauma affecting the cervical part of the spine C1-C7 and also inflammation or tumor growth in this location.

• Diseases that can cause quadriplegia such as multiple sclerosis, transverse myelitis, and polio.

• Disorders such as muscular dystrophy and spastic cerebral palsy can also cause quadriplegia.

Paraplegia• Paraplegia is defined as

paralysis of the legs and lower body, typically caused by spinal injury or disease.

• It usually occurs form trauma, inflammation(through infection or trauma), or tumor growth on the lumbar region of the spine L1-L5.

• Autoimmune disorders, hereditary spastic paraplegia, syrinx, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, and other disorders.

Suffix -phasia relating to nervous system

• In the nervous system chapter of our textbook two disorders a mentions that have the suffix -phasia. They are aphasia and dysphasia. Both of these disorders affect speech.

• Both of these disorders are related to issue with the Broca and Wernicke areas of the brain.

Aphasia• This disorder refers to the complete inability to communicate

verbally or in writing.

• A breakdown of this work (a- without, phasia-speech)

• Causes of this disorder can result from traumatic damage to the Broca's and Wernicke's regions of the brain or the neural pathways between them.

• Brain tumors and disorders such a Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease can also cause aphasia.

• Herpesviral encephalitis can cause aphasia.

• Epilepsy and severe migraines can sometimes cause episodic aphasia.

Dysphasia• When broken down (dys- means abnormal, difficult

-phasia speech).

• Dysphasia is difficulty verbally communicating and also writing.

• Although it is different than aphasia sometimes the two are used interchangeably.

• The most common cause of dysphasia is a stroke.

• It can also be caused by trauma, infection, and tumor growth in the Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas of the brain.

References• Fremgen, Bonnie F., and Suzanne S. Frucht. Medical

Terminology: A Living Language. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print.

• MayoClinic- Spinal cord injury-Diseases and conditions (http://www.mayoclinic.org/)

• NYU Langone Medical Center- Pediatrics department- paraplegia (http://pediatrics.med.nyu.edu/)

• thefreedictionary.com-Medical Dictionary- Dysphasia

• WebMd- Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, Aphasia, and Dysphasia (www.webmd.com)