See also disease and illness.
analgesia
the absence of pain. —analgesic, analgetic, adj.
analogism
Medicine. diagnosis of a condition on the basis of its resemblance to other conditions.
anatripsology
the use of friction, especially rubbing, in therapy or as a remedy.
anesthesia, anaesthesia
the absence of physical sensation. —anesthesiologist, anaesthesiologist, anaesthetist, n. —anesthetic, anaesthetic, n., adj.
antisepsis
the destruction of microorganisms that cause infection. —antiseptic, adj.
bacteriostasis
the process of preventing the growth or spread of bacteria. —bacteriostat, n. —bacteriostatic, adj.
cachexia, cachexy
general physical or mental poor health; weakness or malnutrition.
dyscrasia
Medicine. an unhealthy condition, especially an imbalance of physiologic or constitutional elements, often of the blood. Cf. eucrasia. —dyscrasic, dyscratic, adj.
epulosis
the formation of scar tissue as part of the healing process. —epulotic, adj.
eucrasia
1. Medicine. a normal state of health; good health.
2. physical well-being. Cf. dyscrasia. —eucrasic, eucratic, adj.
eupepsia
a condition of good digestion. —eupeptic, adj.
evectics, euectics
the theory of the achievement and maintenance of good health. —evectic, euectic, adj.
germicide
any substance for killing germs, especially bacteria. —germicidal, adj.
hygeist, hygieist
a hygienist.
hygiastics
Rare. hygienics. Also called hygiantics.
hygienics
1. the branch of medical science that studies health and its preservation; hygiene.
2. a system of principles for promoting health. —hygienist, n. —hygienic, adj.
hygieology, hygiology
Rare. the science of hygiene; hygienics.
hypochondriasis
1. Psychiatry. an abnormal state characterized by emotional depression and imagined ill health, often accompanied by symptoms untraceable to any organic disease.
2. excessive concern and conversation about one’s health. Also called hypochondria, nosomania. —hypochondriac, n. —hypochondriacal, adj.
invalescence
Obsolete, a state of good health; strength.
lysis
the gradual process of a disease, ending in the recovery of the patient. See also cells. —lyterian, lytic, adj.
prophylaxis
protection from or prevention of disease. —prophylactic, adj.
sanability
Rare. the state or condition of being curable; susceptibility to remedy. —sanable, adj.
soteriology
Rare. 1. a treatise on health.
2. the science of attaining and maintaining good health. —soteriological, adj.
synteresis
preventive or preservative treatment or measures; prophylaxis. See also ethics.
tonicity
the state or quality of having good muscular tone or tension. —tonic, adj.
trypanophobia
an abnormal fear of vaccines and vaccination. Also called vaccinophobia.
valetudinarianism
1. a condition of poor health.
2. a state of being concerned with health, often excessively.
3. invalidism. —valetudinarian, n., adj.
