Medical Glossary

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Medical Glossary
Here are some of the medical terms you may hear connected with Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
Abscess Acne Vulgaris Antibiotic Apocrine Androgen Axilla Autoimmune Disease Boil Bacterium Chronic Duct Dermis Drain Eccrine Edema Epidermis Estrogen Exacerbation Excision Fistula Fox-Fordyce Disease Furuncle Gluteal Grafting Hair Follicle Hidradenitis Hyperhidrosis Infection Inflammation Lesion Perianal Perineum Pilonidal Cyst Pus Pyococcus Sebaceous Sebaceous Cyst Sebum Sinus Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus Epidermis Subcutaneous Suppurativa Suppuration Swab Testosterone Wen Back to F&Q Index
Abscess	Localised build up of pus.
Antibiotic	Any substance such as penicillin or streptomycin which prevents the growth of microorganisms.
Acne Vulgaris	Chronic acne which occurs commonly on the face, chest and back of adolescents.
Apocrine	A gland which produces a secretion also containing a part of that cell. They are mainly found in the pubic areas of the human body.
Androgen	A hormone which stimulates the development of male sex characteristics
Axilla	The 'armpit' which contains the axillary vessels, lymphatics and also one of the areas where apocrine glands are numerous. Axillary (relating to the Axilla).
Autoimmune Disease	Any disease which is characterised by injury which is caused by an immunologic reaction by the hosts own body.
Boil	An abscess or pyogenic infection of the sweat gland or hair follicle which is normally caused by Staphylococcus aureus.
Bacterium	A delicate virus with variation in structure which can attack and destroy cells under certain conditions. The simplest structure presently known to exist.

Chronic	Denotes a disease of slow progress with persistent or worsening conditions over a long period of time.
Drain	To draw the fluid from an abscess or other wound by lancing or placing of a tube into the wound thus providing a exit point for the contents.
Dermis	The layer of skin beneath the 'epidermis' or outer layer of skin. It contains lymphatic channels, sweat glands and hair follicles.
Duct	A tube or channel, usually for conveying the product of a gland to another part of the body.
Edema	Swelling of any part of the body due to collection of fluid in the intercellular spaces of the tissue.
Epidermis	The outer, thinner layer of the skin, consisting of layers of the stratiffied Squamous epithelium, it is devoid of blood vessels and contains a limited distribution of nerve endings.
Estrogen	General term for the female sex hormones, responsible for stimulating the development and maintenance of female secondary sex characteristics; formed in the ovary, placenta, testis, adrenal cortex, and some plants; therapeutic uses (with natural or synthetic preparations) include the relief of menopausal symptoms and amelioration of cancer of the prostate.
Exacerbation	Increase in the severity of a disease or any of its symptoms.
Eccrine
Excision	To cut away or excise the tissue during an operation.
Fistula	An abnormal passage (tube) formed between two internal organs, or from an organ to the surface.
Furuncle	An abscess or pyogenic infection of the apocrine or eccrine gland.
Fox-Fordyce Disease	An uncommon disease of the apocrine glands affecting mainly women from puberty to menopause; characterised by numerous small, follicular, closely aggregated, flesh-colored, intensely pruritic papules in the armpits and on the breast, pubic area, and perineum; thought to be due to poral closure of the apocrine glands.
Gluteal	Of or relating to the buttocks.
Grafting	Transplantation of the tissue from one part of the body to another or from one body to another.
Hair Follicle	A saclike invigilation of the epidermis from which the root of hair develops.
Hidradenitis	The term "Hidradenitis" comes from "hidros", meaning sweat "adeno" meaning gland and "itis" meaning inflammation.
Hyperhidrosis	Excessive perspiration, opposite of hypohidrosis
Infection	Invasion of the body by living microorganisms; it may or may not result in an illness.
Inflammation	A tissue reaction to irritation, infection or injury. Marked by localized heat, swelling, redness, pain and sometimes loss of function.
Lesion	Any morbid change in the structure of tissue due to injury or disease.
Perianal	Adjacent to and around the anus. also called circumanal
Perineum	The area bounded by the pubis, the coccyx and thighs. Perianal - the area around the anus and between the anus and genitallia.
Pilonidal Cyst	A hair-containing cyst in the dermis or subcutaneous tissues, usually connected to the surface of the skin by a sinus tract; generally situated in the sacrococcygeal region. Also called sacrococcygeal cyst.
Pus	A thick, viscous, yellow fluid, product of inflammation, composed chiefly of dead white blood cells (leukocytes) and a thick liquid (liquor puris), and often the microbiological agent responsible for the inflammation.
Pyococcus	A pus-forming microorganism, as Streptococcus pyogenes.
Sebaceous	Relating to or secreting fatty material (sebum).
Sebaceous Cyst	Tumor resulting from retention of the excretion of the sebaceous gland. Also called wen; steatoma; steatocystoma; sebocystoma; sebaceous tumor.
Suppurativa
Sebum	The secretion of a sebaceous gland.
Sinus	An abnormal fistula or tract.
Staphylococcus Aureus	A species containing the pigmented, coagulese-positive variety which causes boils, carbuncles, abscesses and other suppurative inflammations.
Staphylococcus Epidermis	A species containing the non pigmented, mannitol- and coagulese-negative nonpathogenic variety which causes stitch abscesses; normally present on the skin.
Subcutaneous	Located beneath the skin. also called hypodermic.
Suppurativa, Suppurative	Pus forming.
Suppuration	The production and discharge of pus.
Swab	A small ball of cotton or gauze wrapped around the end of a stick or wire; used for cleansing, for applying medication, or for obtaining samples of material for bacteriologic examination.
Testosterone	A hormone produced by the testes, responsible for the development and maintenance of secondary sexual characteristics; the most potent of the naturally produced androgens. It is in the Leydig's cells under control of luteinizing (inerstitial cell-stimulating) hormone.
Wen	A sebaceous cyst, especially of the scalp.

Here are some of the medical terms you may hear connected with Hidradenitis Suppurativa.