Glossary
- analgesic
-
a substance that reduces pain
- anhedonia
-
the inability to feel pleasure, often a symptom of depression
- archaeology
-
the scientific study of human culture through human remains, artifacts, and other evidence
- atonement
-
an action that is intended to repair the damage of wrongdoing
- benign
-
the quality of being harmless, or not carrying disease; i.e., a benign tumor is not cancerous
- beta interferon
-
a drug that acts to suppress the immune system
- Buddhist teachings
-
the philosophy, beliefs, insights, and practices of Buddhism
- Christianized
-
the conversion of people, community, or culture to Christianity
- chronic progressive
-
description for a condition that is continuous (chronic) and gets worse over time (progressive)
- conclusive
-
describing information that cannot be interpreted a different way; giving a conclusion to a question
- intravenous
-
entering the body through a tube inserted into the veins with a needle
- missives
-
written messages or letters
- MRI
-
magnetic resonance imaging test
- multiple sclerosis
-
a disease of the central nervous system that impacts basic coordination and body functions
- myelin
-
the membrane that surrounds the nerves
- neurologist
-
a medical doctor specializing in the nervous system
- neuropathic pain
-
the pain caused by nerves described as burning, shooting, numbness, or tingling
- ostensibly
-
obviously, apparently
- PhD
-
abbreviation of "doctor of philosophy," the highest graduate degree (different from a "doctor of medicine" or MD)
- prednisone
-
a steroid drug used to reduce inflammation
- psychosomatic
-
describing a physical health condition that may be caused by a person's psychological health condition or emotional disturbance
- redemption
-
the freedom of a person from the guilt or blame of wrongdoing
- rehabilitation
-
the restoration of health through training or therapy
- relapsing/remitting
-
description for a condition that returns (relapses) and goes away (remits) unpredictably
- remission
-
a temporary or permanent halting of active disease in a body
- sage
-
wise, insightful
- sclerosis
-
the scarring and an abnormal hardening of the myelin
- secularized
-
the transition of cultures or institutions to be not based on religion or a religious philosophy
- shaman
-
in many cultures, a person who has access to the spirit world or can practice magic to heal people, predict the future, etc.
- spasticity
-
an abnormal increase in muscle tone and stiffness caused by damage to the nerves that transmit messages to and from the brain
- spinal tap
-
a medical test in which a large needle is inserted into the back to remove spinal fluid for testing; also known as a lumbar puncture
- tongue in cheek
-
ironic, facetious, insincere, jokingly
- Tylenol 4
-
a brand name prescription pain reliever that combines 300 mg acetaminophen and 60 mg codeine, a mild opiate
