Ever leave a doctor’s appointment more bewildered than when you arrived? You’re not alone. Many patients don’t understand the jargon doctors often use, finding difficulty in following medical advice or making informed decisions about health. In this blog post, we are demystifying complex medical jargon with clear and simple explanations. By the end, you will feel more empowered about your health and better prepared for your next visit to the doctor.
Why Medical Jargon Is Bad for Your Health
I am not a doctor, but I’ve known many doctors, and doctors have an average of five years of medical training. With time, they develop a language for talking to each other, quickly and precisely. But this technical language, also known as “medical jargon,” is hard for patients to follow.
For example:
When a doctor says “hypertension,” instead of “high blood pressure,” that’s one of these terms.
Instead of speaking of “heart attack” in lay language, they will simply say “myocardial infarction.”
These aren’t terms that are attempting to obfuscate; they’re just words that a doctor might use. But when that language isn’t translated, even if the person using it is just pelting you with roasted marshmallow-size wads of jargon, it can become a barrier between you and all the healthy life changes you deserve to be making.
Here’s the Real Definition of Common Medical Terms
Here are some of the most frequently used medical terms you are likely to hear, and what they mean in human-speak:
Hypertension
What it is: High blood pressure. That occurs when the force of blood against your artery walls is high.
Myocardial Infarction
What it is: A heart attack. That happens when blood flow to a section of the heart is blocked.
Benign
What it means: Not cancer. A benign tumor is a tumor that is not harmful or life-threatening.
Malignant
What it means: Cancerous. The cells can spread and be destructive to body tissues.
Biopsy
What it means: A test in which tissue is taken from your body for examination to look for disease.
Chronic
What it means: Long-term or continuing. A chronic illness is one that goes on for a long time or one that keeps popping up.
Acute
What it means: Sudden, or severe. How to use in a sentence: Somehow, I like being whammied even less this way. An acute illness comes on rapidly and is usually intense.
Inflammation
What it is: Your body’s natural response to injury or infection. It is typically characterized by redness, swelling and pain.
Prognosis
What it means: The predicted end or course of a disease.
Remission
What it means: When the symptoms of a disease disappear, temporarily or permanently.
What if You Overhear the Doctor Saying Your Child Should Get a Vaccine?!?
It’s okay to ask questions! Here are some simple strategies for getting your doctor to explain things more clearly:
“Can you make that more accessible?”
“So what? What does that mean to me in my daily life?”
“Can you give me an example?”
“Is there an easier word for that?
You have a right to know what is happening to your body. A good health care provider will respect that and help you figure it out.
Tools and Tips for Deciphering Health Information.getContentPaneDecoding Medical Language, One Phrase at a TimeMay 29, 2019ImageCreditCreditNohemy BochuairRe “Decoding Medical Potboilers” (news article, May 29): When I began my pediatric residency training 50 years ago, the artificial language we were required to adopt turned real words into obscurity.
Below are some practical instruments and methods for understanding medical terms:
Use Trusted Health Websites
Many sites like Mayo Clinic, MedlinePlus, and WebMD simplify conditions in layman’s terms.
Use an App of a Medical Dictionary app
Apps such as Medscape, Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary, or the CDC’s Health Literacy tools offer rapid translations.
Bring a Buddy or Loved One
Perhaps two heads are better than one. Take a friend with you who can help ask questions or take notes.
Take Notes or Videotape Your Visit
Ask your doctor if it’s possible to record the conversation, or jot down what you think are the most important points to review later.
Why It Benefits: It’s important to understand medical terms
When you are able to comprehend what your doctor is telling you, you can:
Opt for healthier health decisions
Take medications correctly
Better control of chronic conditions
Spot early warning signs of serious problems
Reassert control over your health
The ability to understand and use health information isn’t just nice to have; it is essential. The more you understand, the healthier you can be.
When to Seek a Second Opinion
If something does not make sense or feels off, it’s okay to get a second opinion. That is not to say you don’t trust your doctor, but that you care enough to double-check. Open and honest communication is important, and another professional might be able to explain things in a way that is clearer for you.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to be a doctor to know when you’re unhealthy. With questions, a few simple resources and a few key terms, you can manage your care.
The next time your doctor begins toward “medicalese,” don’t hesitate to say, “Can you help me understand that better?” You have a right to understand what is happening to your body in clear, confident terms.
