Word Wednesday

Get to know your words: SSRI

Stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitor: this is a category of common antidepressant medication that increases the amount of time serotonin is active in your brain.

Get to know your words: Influenza

Woo, #WordWednesday is here! Our word of the week is influenza, commonly known as the flu. influenza is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory passages causing fever, severe aching, and catarrh, and often occurring in epidemics (flu season). The best way to avoid getting the flu this year? A flu shot! Every year the CDC…

Get to know your words: Periodontitis

It is #WordWednesday again! Our word of the week is Periodontitis. Periodontal disease or periodontitis is a disease that affects the structures around teeth – the gums. It is one of the two main types of gum disease (alongside gingivitis). Gums become infected with bacteria and if the infection spreads, it can cause irreparable damage to your…

Get to know your words: Tuberculosis

It’s #WordWednesday! Our word of the week is tuberculosis. Tuberculosis or TB, is an infectious bacterial disease characterized by the growth of nodules (tubercles) in the tissues, especially the lungs. Are you interested in why we picked tuberculosis as our word this week? Come back on Friday for our #HealthFactFriday! An infectious bacterial disease characterized by the…

Get to Know Your Words: Microbiome

Mai- kruh- bai- owm The microorganisms in a particular environment (including the body or a part of the body). The gut microbiome plays a very important role in your health by helping control digestion and benefitting your immune system and many other aspects of health.

Get to know your words: PEP

Post-exposure prophylaxis PEP stands for post- exposure prophylaxis. It means taking antiretroviral medicines (ART) after being potentially exposed to HIV.  

Get to know your words: Acetylcholine

uh- seh- tuhl- kow- leen A chemical in the brain (neurotransmitter) that appears to be involved in learning and memory- Acetylcholine is greatly diminished in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Get to know your words: Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Viruses are the mosr common cause of hepatitis, but the condition can also be caused by other factors. There are five main virus types that can cause hepatitis- type A, B, C, D, and E.  

Get to Know Your Words: Analytic Treatment Interruption

Analytic Treatment Interruption is the cessation of a study participant’s antiretrovital therapy (ART) while carefully monitoring their viral load. One of the goals for the HIV research field is to achieve a functional cure for HIV, the elimination of detectable virus without the use of ART. Interested in learning about HIV Cure research? Register for…

Get to Know Your Words: Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)

HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, and the combination of drugs used to treat it is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART is recommended for all people living with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are. ART must be taken every day, exactly as your health…

Get to Know Your Words: Leukapheresis

Leukapheresis is a laboratory procedure in which white blood cells are separated from a sample of blood. It is a specific type of apheresis, the more general term for separating out one particular component of blood and returning the rest to the body. Interested in learning about HIV Cure research? Register for our upcoming introductory…

Get to Know Your Words: Double Blinded Study

Research studies can be quite informing but confusing!  Now that you know what a blinded study is, it’s time to learn what a double blinded study is! In a double blinded study, neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving which treatment to ensure that the results are not affected by their hopes,…

Get to Know Your Words: Blinded Study

Research studies can be quite informing but confusing!  Ever wonder what a “blinded study” is? It is a study done in such a way that the participants do not know what treatment they are receiving to ensure that the results are not affected by their hopes, expectations, previous knowledge, etc. in order to reduce experimental…

Get to Know Your Words: Prostatitis

Prostatitis Prostatitis is a bacterial infection of your prostate gland. The infection can be either chronic or acute. Chronic prostatitis causes a dull pressure or pain in your rectum or pelvis. What begins as dull pressure quickly turns into severe pain with chills, high fever, and an enlarged prostate that can prevent you from being able…

Get to Know Your Words: Molluscum Contagiosum

The anus is one of the most common points of infection, but these pimples can also be found frequently on the inner thighs, groin, genitals, and lower abdomen. People living with HIV may also be at risk for the infection to spread all over the body. Sometimes the infection goes away on its own, but…

Get to Know Your Words: Proctoscopy

Proctoscopy Proctoscopy is a common medical procedure of the rectum used to look for signs of colorectal cancer. An instrument called a proctoscope is used to examine the anal cavity, rectum, or sigmoid colon. Make your bottom a top priority and join us at Philadelphia’s 2nd Annual Anal Health Symposium on April 19th to discuss the best…

Get to Know Your Words: Anoscopy

Anoscopy An anoscopy is an examination using a small, rigid, tubular instrument called an anoscope. This is inserted a few inches into the anus in order to evaluate problems of the anal canal. Anoscopy is used to diagnose hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and some cancers Make your bottom a top priority and RSVP to our 2nd…

Get to Know Your Words: Anal Dysplasia

Anal Dysplasia  Anal dysplasia is a condition in which some of the cells within the anus have transformed into abnormal cells. High resolution imaging is needed to detect these abnormal lesions Anal dysplasia is not cancer, but it is a pre-cancerous condition. In other words, if the abnormal cells are left untreated, they can turn…

Get to Know Your Words: Hypertension

Hypertension High blood pressure is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. Blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow…

Get to Know Your Words: Hypotension

Hypotension Low blood pressure might seem desirable, and for some people, it causes no problems. However, for many people, abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension) can cause dizziness and fainting. In severe cases, low blood pressure can be life-threatening.  Make sure to stop by the John Bell Health Center to have your blood pressure measured!  

Word Wednesday Pagination