to tranquilize
[verb]
to make a person or animal calm or unconscious using drugs, like sedatives
Ex:
Essential Vocabulary for the GRE - Get Well Soon!
Here you will learn some English words about sickness, such as "biopsy", "dress", "ointment", etc. that are needed for the GRE exam.
review
flashcard
spelling
quiz
anesthesia
[noun]
the condition of losing one's sensation or awareness during surgery and other procedures, particularly by use of special drugs
Ex:
The
anesthesiologist
monitored
the
patient
's
vital
signs
throughout
the
anesthesia
.
biopsy
[noun]
the process of removing and analyzing tissue from the body of a sick person to learn more about their condition
Ex:
The
results
of
the
skin
biopsy
revealed
abnormal
cells
,
prompting
further
tests
to
diagnose
melanoma
.
catheter
[noun]
a flexible tube inserted into one's bladder, to drain and collect urine
Ex:
The
catheter
was
left
in place
to
monitor
the
patient
's
urine
output
following
surgery
.
chiropractor
[noun]
someone who treats diseases or physical problems by pressing or manipulating joints in the body
Ex:
The
chiropractor
uses
manual
techniques
such as
spinal
manipulation
and
mobilization
to
realign
the
spine
and
alleviate
pain
.
diagnosis
[noun]
the identification of the nature and cause of an illness or other problem
Ex:
Her
diagnosis
revealed
a
rare
autoimmune disorder
.
to discharge
[verb]
to allow a patient to leave the hospital because they have recovered and no longer need to receive inpatient care
Ex:
After
a
week
of
observation
,
the
doctor
deemed
the
patient
well
enough
to
be
discharged
from
the
hospital
.
to dress
[verb]
to clean the wound properly and apply bandages in order to promote healing and to protect it from further harm
Ex:
It
's
essential
to
dress
the
wound
promptly
after
cleaning
it
to
minimize
the
risk
of
bacterial
contamination
.
geriatric
[adjective]
pertaining to the medical care or study of the elderly
Ex:
Geriatric
assessments
revealed
early-stage
cognitive
decline
in
several
patients
.
to immunize
[verb]
to protect an animal or a person from a disease by vaccination
Ex:
The
government
launched
a
campaign
to
immunize
the
population
against
a
recent
outbreak
of
a
contagious
illness
.
intravenous
[adjective]
administered into or taking place in a vein
Ex:
The
nurse
prepared
an
intravenous
solution
for
the
patient
’s
treatment
.
ointment
[noun]
a substance, usually smooth and oily, rubbed on the skin for medical purposes
Ex:
The
athlete
applied
a
muscle-relaxing
ointment
to
alleviate
soreness
after
the
intense
workout
.
outpatient
[noun]
a patient who receives treatment in a hospital but does not remain there afterward
Ex:
Outpatients
typically
have
appointments
scheduled
in advance
to
receive
specialized
medical care
,
such as
chemotherapy
or
physical therapy
.
over-the-counter
[adjective]
(of drugs and medicines) available for purchase without a physician's prescription
Ex:
She
found
the
over-the-counter
sleep
aid
to
be
a
convenient
solution
.
restorative
[adjective]
able to promote or restore one's health or strength
Ex:
Staying
indoors
for
a few
days
had
purely
restorative
benefits
in
recovering
from
illness
by
reversing
deficiencies
to
baseline
health
.
recuperation
[noun]
the gradual recovery through rest after sickness or injury
Ex:
Her
recuperation
was
slower
than
expected
,
but
regular
physical therapy
sessions
helped
speed up
her
recovery
.
sanitarium
[noun]
an establishment or facility that treats people who have a chronic illness
Ex:
After
her
diagnosis
,
she
spent
several
months
at
a
sanitarium
focusing on
rehabilitation
.
to stitch
[verb]
to join the edges of a wound together by a thread and needle
Ex:
She
carefully
stitched
the
gash
on
her
forehead
to
minimize
scarring
.
to swab
[verb]
to clean, apply medication to, or remove liquid from a wound using a swab
Ex:
The
medical
team
swabbed
the
patient
's
throat
for
a
rapid
strep
test
.
tourniquet
[noun]
a device, such as a bandage, piece of fabric, etc. that arrests bleeding by applying pressure to the wound
Ex:
The first
aid
kit
included
a
tourniquet
for
treating
serious
injuries
.
hypodermic
[noun]
a piston syringe with a long thin needle for injecting substances under the skin
Ex:
The
doctor
prepared
the
hypodermic
for
the
insulin
injection
.
psychosis
[noun]
a severe mental condition in which the patient loses contact with external reality
Ex:
Treatment
for
psychosis
typically
involves
a
combination
of
antipsychotic
medications
and
psychotherapy
to
help
manage
symptoms
and
improve
functioning
.
psychotic
[adjective]
(of a mental condition) affecting brain processes so severely that makes one unable to tell the difference between reality and fantasy
Ex:
Psychotic
disorders
can
severely
impair
one
's
ability
to
function
in
daily
life
.
neurosis
[noun]
a mental condition that is not caused by organic disease in which one is constantly anxious, worried, and stressed
Ex:
Cognitive-behavioral
therapy
(
CBT
)
is
a
common
treatment
for
neurosis
,
helping
individuals
reframe
negative
thought
patterns
and
reduce
anxiety
.
acupressure
[noun]
an alternative therapy in which pressure is put on specific parts of the body with hands and fingers
Ex:
acupuncture
[noun]
a method of treatment in which thin needles are inserted in specific spots on the body, originated in China
Ex:
The
doctor
recommended
acupuncture
as
an
alternative
to
medication
.
to amputate
[verb]
to surgically remove a body part, such as a limb or organ, often due to injury, disease, or medical necessity
Ex:
In
some
cases
of
cancer
,
surgeons
may
recommend
amputating
a
portion
of
the
affected
limb
to
stop
the
disease
's
progression
.
maladjusted
[adjective]
emotionally unstable and unable to cope with the requirements of a healthy social life
Ex:
mindfulness
[noun]
a mental state achieved by maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of one's thoughts, feelings, etc., used as a therapeutic technique
Ex:
Mindfulness
exercises
can
be
effective
in
reducing
symptoms
of
depression
.
antidote
[noun]
a substance that counteracts or controls the effects of a poison
Ex:
The
antidote
for
acetaminophen
overdose
is
N-acetylcysteine
,
which
helps
protect
the
liver
from
damage
.
gynecology
[noun]
the branch of medicine that is concerned with diseases that are specific to women, especially those that affect their reproductive organs
Ex:
The
medical school
offers
a
specialized
course
in
gynecology
for
aspiring
doctors
.
rehab
[noun]
the process of helping someone who has a problem with drugs or alcohol to lead a normal life again
Ex:
Successful
rehab
often
involves
both
medical
treatment
and
counseling
.
to infuse
[verb]
to slowly administer a drug or other substance through a needle or catheter into the bloodstream
Ex:
The
anesthesiologist
will
infuse
the
sedative
into
the
patient
's
system
before
the
surgical procedure
begins
.
pediatrics
[noun]
the branch of medicine that is concerned with children and their conditions
Ex:
She
specialized
in
pediatrics
and
worked
primarily
with
young
patients
.
to quarantine
[verb]
to isolate a person or animal for a specific period due to illness, suspicion of illness, or to prevent the potential spread of a disease
Ex:
The
health
authorities
quarantined
the
passengers
of
the
cruise ship
after
several
cases
of
norovirus
were
reported
onboard
.
to revive
[verb]
to make a person become conscious again
Ex:
They
tried
to
revive
him
with
cold water
splashed
on
his
face
after
he
fainted
from
heat exhaustion
.
to soothe
[verb]
to reduce the severity of a pain
Ex:
He
applied
aloe vera
to
soothe
the
sunburn
on
his
skin
.
dosage
[noun]
a prescribed amount of medicine that is taken regularly
Ex:
He
forgot
his
evening
dosage
of
medication
and
needed
to
make up for
it
.
psychoanalysis
[noun]
a method of therapy used for mental conditions which consists of the patient opening up about their past and feelings in order to find the reason for their illness
Ex:
He
found
that
psychoanalysis
helped
him
address
deep-seated
fears
and
unresolved
traumas
.
febrile
[adjective]
having the symptoms of a fever, such as high temperature, sweating, shivering, etc.
Ex:
The
doctor
noted
the
febrile
child
’s
flushed
face
and
rapid
breathing
.