Oregano Cures - Medicine and Health Glossary "D"

Welcome to the Pure-le Natural Health Glossary. A thorough and complete guide to conditions and terminology used in natural and allopathic medicine. We have compiled a list of frequently used health, natural health and allopathic terms and have defined them in clear and simple everyday language.

Term	Synonyms	Definition
Danders		Minute scales shed from human or other animal skin or hair. Such scales float in the air or settle on a surface and make up the majority of household dust.
Dawn Phenomenon		A sudden rise in blood glucose levels in the early morning hours. This condition sometimes occurs in people with insulin-dependent diabetes and (rarely) in people with non insulin-dependent diabetes. Unlike the Somogyi effect, it is not a result of an insulin reaction. People who have high levels of blood glucose in the mornings before eating may need to monitor their blood glucose during the night. If blood glucose levels are rising, adjustments in evening snacks or insulin dosages may be recommended.
DCCT	Diabetes Control and Complications Trial	The DCCT was a 10-year (1983-1993) study of more than 1,400 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to assess the effects of intensive therapy on the long-term complications of diabetes, the study proved that intensive management of insulin-dependent diabetes prevents or slows the development of eye, kidney, and nerve damage caused by diabetes.
Deafness, sensorineural		Hearing loss due to disease or damage of the hearing nerve-endings in the inner ear and/or the nerves of hearing.
Deamination		A chemical reaction that removes an amino group from a compound.
Debility	Asthenia	A state of physical weakness.
Debridement		Surgical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue, or some foreign material from a wound or burn
Debulking		The surgical removal of the major portion of a tumor mass in situations where the entire tumor cannot be completely removed.
Decidophobia		Fear of making decisions.
Decoction		Extract of a crude therapeutic product obtained by boiling the substance in water.
Decompression, surgical		Surgery performed to relieve the pressure compromising function of an organ
Decompression sickness		The formation of gas bubbles in the body's tissues as a result of a scuba diver ascending too quickly from depth; commonly called the bends
Decongestants		Substances used to relieve nasal congestion as occurs during upper respiratory infections.
Decongestive		A substance for the relief of congestion.
Decubitus ulcer		An open sore that forms in the skin because of prolonged pressure; a bed sore.
Deep vein thrombosis		A blood clot in the deep veins of the leg.
Defecation		the passing of feces out of the body through the anus; a bowel movement.
Defibrillation		Electrical shock applied to the chest to stop ventricular fibrillation.
Defibrillator		Machine used to deliver an electrical shock to the chest to stop ventricular fibrillation; it may be internal (implanted) or external.
Degenerative arthritis	Osteoarthritis	The breakdown of the cartilage lining the bones in joints, usually weight-bearing joints (such as the knee); causes stiffness and pain.
Degenerative disc disease		The pathological process by which an intervertebral disc becomes progressively disrupted and fails in its functions.
Dehiscent		Fruit that splits open when ripe.
Dehydration		A lack of an adequate amount of fluid in the body. Dehydration may be accompanied by dry mouth, thirst, constipation, concentrated urine or fever.
Delirium		A state, usually temporary, of mental confusion, sometimes characterized by disordered speech and often accompanied by hallucinations.
Delta cell		A type of cell in the pancreas in areas called the islets of Langerhans. Delta cells make somatostatin, a hormone that is believed to control how beta cells make and release insulin, and how alpha cells make and release glucagon.
Delusion		Belief held despite evidence it is not true.
Dementia		Mental deterioration due to organic causes.
Demerol		A narcotic painkiller.
Demonic		Destroys or repels demons.
Demulcent		Mucilagenous or oily substance capable of protecting scraped tissues.
Demyelination		Pathological destruction of the "insulating" myelin coating most nerve cells.
Denervation		Pathological loss of nerve supply.
Dental plaque		A film or deposit of bacteria and other material on the surface of a tooth that may lead to tooth decay or periodontal disease.
Dentin		The tissue of a tooth beneath the enamel and enclosing the pulp cavity.
Deoderant		A substance which corrects, masks or removes unpleasant odours.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid	DNA	A substance found in the nucleus of cells that carries genetic information.
Depilatory		A substance that removes hair.
Depression		A disorder of mood with extreme sadness and discouragement. Symptoms also may include disruption of sleeping and eating patterns and lack of energy.
Depurative		A substance which helps combat impurities in the blood and organs, dexoxifying.
Dermal		Pertaining to the skin.
Dermabrasion		The removal of the surface layer of skin with a sanding wheel to treat scarring or to remove tattoos.
Dermatitis		Inflammation of the skin, often characterized by itching and redness.
Dermatologist		A doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin problems.
Dermatomyositis		A chronic inflammatory disease of muscle which is associated with patches of slightly raised reddish or scaly rash. The rash can be on the bridge of the nose, around the eyes, or on sun-exposed areas of the neck and chest. Classically, however, it is over the knuckles. (See polymyositis).
Dermis		The layer of skin beneath the epidermis.
Desensitization		The process of making a person less allergic to a substance by injecting gradually increasing amounts of the substance; sometimes done to prevent anaphylactic shock.
Detoxification		Process of clearing the body of a drug or toxic agent such as alcohol.
Dextrocardia		a rare genetic condition in which the heart is located on the right side of the body, instead of the left.
Dextrose	Glucose	A simple sugar that is found in the blood.
Diabetes		A condition where the pancreas produces insufficient or no insulin, a hormone which controls sugar levels in the blood. Without insulin, the blood cannot absorb sugar into cells for energy and into liver and fat cells for storage.
Diabetes Control and Complications Trial	DCCT	A 10-year study (1983-1993) funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to assess the effects of intensive therapy on the long-term complications of diabetes. The study proved that intensive management of insulin-dependent diabetes prevents or slows the development of eye, kidney, and nerve damage caused by diabetes.
Diabetes insipidus		A rare condition characterized by increased urine production.
Diabetes mellitus		Disorder characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood. Diabetes mellitus may be caused by a failure of the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin or by resistance of the body to the action of insulin.
Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin Dependent	IDDM	In Insulin-Dependent Diabetes (IDDM), the pancreas makes little or no insulin because the insulin-producing beta cells have been destroyed. This type usually appears suddenly and most commonly in younger people, under age 30. Treatment consists of daily insulin injections or use of an insulin pump, a planned diet and regular exercise, and daily self-monitoring of blood glucose. If the level of insulin is too low for a long period of time, the body begins to break down its stores of fat for energy. This causes the body to release acids (ketones) into the blood. The result is called ketoacidosis, a severe condition that may put a person into a coma if not treated right away. The causes of diabetes are not known. Scientists think that insulin-dependent diabetes may be more than one disease and may have many causes. They are looking at heredity (whether or not the person has parents or other family members with the disease) and other factors, including viruses.
Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent	NIDDM	In Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes (NIDDM), the pancreas often makes some insulin, but the body is unable to use the insulin it produces. A person with NIDDM can sometimes control the disease by diet and exercise and daily monitoring of glucose levels, while others may need to take insulin or other medications as well. This type of diabetes usually develops gradually, most often in people over 40 years of age, and accounts for 90 to 95 percent of diabetes. The causes of diabetes are not known. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes appears to be closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance.
Diabetic amyotrophy		A disease of the nerves leading to the muscles. This condition affects only one side of the body and occurs most often in older men with mild diabetes.
Diabetic angiopathy		Disease of the blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries) that occurs when someone has diabetes for a long time. There are two types of angiopathy: macroangiopathy and microangiopathy. In macroangiopathy, fat and blood clots build up in the large blood vessels, stick to the vessel walls, and block the flow of blood. In microangiopathy, the walls of the smaller blood vessels become so thick and weak that they bleed, leak protein, and slow the flow of blood through the body. Then the cells, for example, the ones in the center of the eye, do not get enough blood and may be damaged.
Diabetic coma		A severe emergency in which a person is not conscious because the blood glucose (sugar) is too low or too high. If the glucose level is too low, the person has hypoglycemia; if the level is too high, the person has hyperglycemia and may develop ketoacidosis.
Diabetic ketoacidosis	DKA	A serious condition that develops in diabetes when there is not enough insulin and the body begins breaking down fat, producing ketones (acids).
Diabetic myelopathy		Spinal cord damage found in some people with diabetes.
Diabetic neuropathy		A combined type of nerve damage, involving sensory and motor components, typically symmetrical and involving autonomic nerves (serving the blood vessels and internal organs), seen frequently in older diabetic patients.
Diabetic osteopathy	Disappearing bone disease	Loss of foot bone as viewed by x-ray; usually temporary.
Diabetic retinopathy		A disease of the small blood vessels of the retina of the eye. When retinopathy first starts, the tiny blood vessels in the retina become swollen, and they leak a little fluid into the center of the retina. The person's sight may be blurred. This condition is called background retinopathy. About 80 percent of people with background retinopathy never have serious vision problems, and the disease never goes beyond this first stage. However, if retinopathy progresses, the harm to sight can be more serious. Many new, tiny blood vessels grow out and across the eye. This is called neovascularization. The vessels may break and bleed into the clear gel that fills the center of the eye, blocking vision. Scar tissue may also form near the retina, pulling it away from the back of the eye. This stage is called proliferative retinopathy, and it can lead to impaired vision and even blindness.
Diabetogenic		Causing diabetes; some drugs cause blood glucose (sugar) to rise, resulting in diabetes.
Diabetologist		A doctor who sees and treats people with diabetes mellitus.
Diagnosis		Identification of a disease or disorder.
Diagnostic imaging		The inclusive term for all methods of visualizing the body's internal structure using electromagnetic waves
Diagnostic mammography		The use of mammography to evaluate the breasts of a woman who has symptoms of disease, such as a lump, or whose screening mammogram shows an abnormality.
Dialysis		Technique of removing waste and toxins from the blood, used primarily when the kidneys malfunction or in cases of overdose of a drug.
Diaper rash	Nappy rash, Diaper dermatitis	A common condition in babies in which the skin in the diaper area becomes irritated and red, usually because of exposure to urine, feces, or heat
Diaphoretic		A substance which increases perspiration.
Diaphragm (contraceptive)		A contraceptive device that is made of a latex pouch stretched over a flexible wire frame fitted to and covering the cervix of a woman's uterus.
Diaphragm muscle		Muscle that separates the abdominal from the chest cavities.
Diarrhea		An increase in the number or liquidity of bowel movements.
Diastole		Period during the heart cycle in which the muscle relaxes, followed by contraction (systole). In a blood pressure reading, the lower number is the diastolic measurement.
Diastolic blood pressure		The pressure of the blood in the main arteries which rises and falls as the muscles of the body cope with varying demands (e.g. exercise, stress, sleep). There are two types of pressure that are measured: 1) systolic pressure, created by the contraction of the heart muscle pushing blood into the vessels, and 2) diastolic pressure, when the heart is at rest between beats. A reading of 120/80 is said to be the normal range. Blood pressure that is too high (hypertension) can cause health problems such as heart attacks and strokes.
Diastolic pressure		The lowest blood pressure reached during the relaxation of your heart. Recorded as the second number in a blood pressure measurement.
Diathermy		The use of high-frequency currents, microwaves, or ultrasound to produce heat in the body to increase blood flow, relieve pain, or destroy diseased tissue.
Diet Plan		A guide for controlling the amount of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats a person eats. People with diabetes can use such plans as the Exchange Lists or the Point System to help them plan their meals so that they can keep their diabetes under control.
Diethylstilbestrol	DES	A synthetic "female" hormone, it was once widely prescribed to prevent miscarriage. Women whose mothers were given diethylstilbestrol (DES) during pregnancy to prevent miscarriage are at increased risk for developing cancer of the cervix.
Dietitian	Registered Dietitian	A professional who plans diet programs for people with special health needs to ensure proper nutrition. A Registered Dietitian (R.D.) has special qualifications.
Differential		Related to white blood cell count, the proportions of the different varieties.
Differentiated, well- to moderately-		Referring to malignancy, possessing histological characteristics of the originating tissues - usually suggesting less pathological aggression.
Diffuse		Spread about and not limited to a specific area.
Digestion		Break down of food so it can be absorbed.
Digestive		A substance which aids or promotes the digestion of food.
Digestive system		The organs that are responsible for getting food into and out of the body and for making use of food to keep the body healthy. These include the mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, colon, and rectum.
Digit		A finger or toe.
Digital rectal exam		An exam to detect rectal cancer. The doctor inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum and feels for abnormal areas. It is also an important screening test for the detection of prostate abnormalities, including cancer.
Dilatation		Abnormal increase in the calibre of a hollow organ, in this case a chamber of the heart.
Dilatation and curettage	D & C	Dilating the cervix and scraping the endometrium (lining of the uterus) with an instrument.
Dilatation of the cervix		The progressive opening of the neck of the uterus, physiologically during labour, or surgically to gain access to the contents of the uterine cavity.
Dilatation, of an orifice		Surgical enlargement, usually by stretching.
Dilate		To expand or open a structure such as the pupil of the eye or a passageway such as an artery.
Dilated		Enlarged.
Dilated pupil examination		Special drops are used to enlarge the pupils, enabling the doctor to view the back of the eye for damage.
Dilating		The opening of the cervix caused by uterine contractions.
Dilator		A device used to stretch or enlarge an opening. Patients with scarring of the muscular tube through which food passes from the throat to the stomach (esophagus) can require a dilator procedure in order to open the esophagus for adequate passage of food and fluids.
Diplopia		Double vision.
Diptheria		A bacterial infection that causes a fever, headache, sore throat, and possibly death; diphtheria is rare in developed countries
Disc		A plate-like structure such as the cartilage cushion found between vertebrae.
Discharge		Flow of fluid from a body cavity such as the nose, vagina, or nipple.
Disease		Malfunctioning of the body or any part of the body resulting from any number of influences, including genetic errors, toxins, infections, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental factors.
Disinfectant		A substance which prevents and combats the spread of germs.
Disinfection		Destroy or render harmless pathogenic (disease-causing) microbes in or on an inert substance.
Disk prolapse	Slipped disk, Ruptured disk	A disorder in which one of the disks located between the vertebrae in the spine breaks down and the pulpy interior squeezes out, causing pressure on a nerve.
Dislocation		Displacement of a bone from its normal position in a joint.
Dissection		Identification, isolation and surgical removal.
Distal		Farthest away from the trunk, midline, heart, or other reference point.
Distal sensory neuropathy		Nerve damage, usually affecting the feet and legs causing pain, numbness, or a tingling feeling. Also called "somatic neuropathy".
Distention		Swelling, enlargement, or stretching.
Disulfide bond		A chemical bond that contains two sulfur atoms.
Diuretic		Any substance that promotes urine production.
Diverticulitis		Inflammation of diverticula (small sacs in the intestine's inner lining); can cause fever, pain, and tenderness
Diverticulosis		Pouch-like bulges in the wall of the intestine.
Diverticulum		A little sac that forms on the wall of a hollow organ, usually the colon. The plural form is diverticula.
Dizygotic twins	DZ twins	See Fraternal twins.
DNA	Deoxyribonucleic acid	The substance responsible for passing genetic information in nearly all organisms.
Dominant		A mode of inheritance in which only a gene from one parent is required for a trait to appear in an offspring. See Recessive.
Dominant disorders		Genetic disorders transmitted from parent to child in which a single altered gene overrides the normally functioning gene.
Dopamine		A chemical that transmits messages in the brain and plays a role in movement.
Doppler ultrasound		Technique used to characterize blood flow in the heart or blood vessels in which ultrasound waves are reflected off blood cells as they move in the bloodstream; also, a listening device with which doctors can hear a fetal heartbeat by about the 12th week of gestation.
Down syndrome		The most common type of chromosome abnormality; caused by an extra chromosome number 21. This abnormality results in varying degrees of mental retardation and other birth defects.
Dropsy		An excess of fluid in the tissues. See Oedema
Drupe		A fleshy fruit, with one or more seeds, each surrounded by a stony layer.
DTP vaccination		The immunization that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough).
Duchenne muscular dystrophy		A genetic condition in boys in which nerves degenerate and muscles get progressively weaker.
Ductus arteriosus		An artery that allows blood in the fetus to bypass the lungs until the lungs expand at birth. It normally closes soon after birth.
Duodenal ulcer		An erosion in the inner lining of the wall of the first part of the small intestine (called the duodenum)
Duodenum		The first part of the small intestine.
Duplex scanning		Ultrasound test showing blood flow and blood vessel structure; used to detect blockages and various other circulatory problems in the arteries or veins.
Dura mater		The tough outer membrane covering the brain and spinal cord.
Dysentery		A severe intestinal infection, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea with blood or mucus
Dysmenorrhoea		Painful and difficul menstruation.
Dyspepsia		Difficulty with digestion associated with pain, flatulence, heartburn, and nausea.
Dysphagia		Difficulty in swallowing or inability to swallow.
Dysphasia		Language disorder. Inability to speak words that one has in mind or to think of correct words; or inability to understand spoken or written words; see Aphasia.
Dysplasia		Abnormal development of tissue.
Dyspnea		Shortness of breath.
Dystocia		Difficult labor due to an abnormal position or size of the fetus.
Dystrophy		Any disorder in which cells become damaged or do not develop properly because they do not receive adequate nutrition.