Free Medical Transcription Tutorials
Alphabetically Order of medical terms related to communications disorders such as blindness and deafness.
A
Acoustic neurinoma - tumor, usually benign, which may
develop on the hearing and balance nerves and can cause
gradual hearing loss, tinnitus, and/or dizziness. (sometimes
called vestibular schwannoma). Also see Neurofibromatosis
Type 2.
Acquired deafness - loss of hearing that occurs or develops
some time during the lifespan but is not present at birth.
Ageusia - loss of the sense of taste.
Albinism - lack of normal pigment in the skin, eyes, and
hair.
Alport syndrome - hereditary condition characterized by
kidney disease, sensorineural hearing loss, and sometimes
eye defects.
American Sign Language (ASL) - manual language with its own
syntax and grammar, used primarily by people who are deaf.
Anosmia - absence of the sense of smell.
Aphasia - total or partial loss of the ability to use or
understand language; usually caused by stroke, brain
disease, or injury.
Aphonia - complete loss of voice.
Apraxia - inability to execute a voluntary movement despite
being able to demonstrate normal muscle function.
Articulation disorder - inability to correctly produce
speech sounds (phonemes) because of imprecise placement,
timing, pressure, speed, or flow of movement of the lips,
tongue, or throat.
Assistive devices - technical tools and devices such as
alphabet boards, text telephones, or text-to-speech
conversion software used to aid individuals who have
communication disorders perform actions, tasks, and
activities.
Audiologist - health care professional who is trained to
evaluate hearing loss and related disorders, including
balance (vestibular) disorders and tinnitus, and to
rehabilitate individuals with hearing loss and related
disorders. An audiologist uses a variety of tests and
procedures to assess hearing and balance function and to fit
and dispense hearing aids and other assistive devices for
hearing.
Auditory Brainstem Response test (ABR test) - a test for
brain functioning in comatose, unresponsive, etc., patients,
and for hearing in infants and young children; involves
attaching electrodes to the head to record electrical
activity from the hearing nerve and other parts of the
brain.
Auditory nerve - eighth cranial nerve that connects the
inner ear to the brainstem and is responsible for hearing
and balance.
Auditory perception - ability to identify, interpret, and
attach meaning to sound.
Auditory prosthesis - device that substitutes or enhances
the ability to hear.
Augmentative devices - tools that help individuals with
limited or absent speech to communicate, such as
communication boards, pictographs (symbols that look like
the things they represent), or ideographs (symbols
representing ideas).
Aural rehabilitation - techniques used with people who are
hearing impaired to improve their ability to speak and
communicate.
Autoimmune deafness - individual's immune system produces
abnormal antibodies that react against the body's healthy
tissues.
Autism - brain disorder that begins in early childhood and
persists throughout adulthood; affects three crucial areas
of development: communication, social interaction, and
creative or imaginative play.
B
Balance - biological system that enables individuals to know
where their bodies are in the environment and to maintain a
desired position. Normal balance depends on information from
the labyrinth in the inner ear, from other senses such as
sight and touch, and from muscle movement.
Balance disorder - disruption in the labyrinth, the inner
ear organ that controls the balance system, which allows
individuals to know where their bodies are in the
environment. The labyrinth works with other systems in the
body, such as the visual and skeletal systems, to maintain
posture.
Barotrauma - injury to the middle ear caused by a reduction
of air pressure.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) - balance
disorder that results in sudden onset of dizziness,
spinning, or vertigo when moving the head.
Brainstem implant - auditory prosthesis that bypasses the
cochlea and auditory nerve. This type of implant helps
individuals who cannot benefit from a cochlear implant
because the auditory nerves are not working.
C
Captioning - text display of spoken words, presented on a
television or a movie screen, that allows a deaf or
hard-of-hearing viewer to follow the dialogue and the action
of a program simultaneously.
Central auditory processing disorder - inability to
differentiate, recognize, or understand sounds; hearing and
intelligence are normal.
Chemosensory disorders - diseases or problems associated
with the sense of smell or the sense of taste.
Cholesteatoma - accumulation of dead cells in the middle
ear, caused by repeated middle ear infections.
Cochlea - snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that
contains the organ of hearing.
Cochlear implant - medical device that bypasses damaged
structures in the inner ear and directly stimulates the
auditory nerve, allowing some deaf individuals to learn to
hear and interpret sounds and speech.
Cognition - thinking skills that include perception, memory,
awareness, reasoning, judgment, intellect, and imagination.
Conductive hearing impairment - hearing loss caused by
dysfunction of the outer or middle ear.
Cued speech - method of communication that combines speech
reading with a system of handshapes placed near the mouth to
help deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals differentiate words
that look similar on the lips (e.g., bunch vs. punch) or are
hidden (e.g., gag).
Cytomegalovirus (Congenital) - one group of herpes viruses
that infects humans and can cause a variety of clinical
symptoms, including deafness or hearing impairment;
infection with the virus may be either before or after
birth.
D
Decibel - unit that measures the intensity or loudness of
sound.
Dizziness - physical unsteadiness, imbalance, and
lightheadedness associated with balance disorders.
Dysarthria - group of speech disorders caused by
disturbances in the strength or coordination of the muscles
of the speech mechanism as a result of damage to the brain
or nerves.
Dysequilibrium - any disturbance of balance.
Dysfluency - disruption in the smooth flow or expression of
speech.
Dysgeusia - distortion or absence of the sense of taste.
Dyslexia - learning disability characterized by reading
difficulties. Some individuals may also have difficulty
writing, spelling, or working with numbers.
Dysosmia - distortion or absence of the sense of smell.
Dysphagia - difficulty swallowing.
Dysphonia - any impairment of the voice or speaking ability.
Dyspraxia of speech - in individuals with normal muscle tone
and speech muscle coordination, partial loss of the ability
to consistently pronounce words.
Dystonia - abnormal muscle tone of one or more muscles.
E
Ear infection - presence and growth of bacteria or viruses
in the ear.
Ear wax - yellow secretion from glands in the outer ear (cerumen)
that keeps the skin of the ear dry and protected from
infection.
Endolymph - fluid in the labyrinth (the organ of balance
located in the inner ear that consists of three semicircular
canals and the vestibule).
G
Gustation - act or sensation of tasting.
H
Hair cells - sensory cells of the inner ear, which are
topped with hair-like structures, the stereocilia, and which
transform the mechanical energy of sound waves into nerve
impulses.
Haptic sense - sense of physical contact or touch.
Haptometer - instrument for measuring sensitivity to touch.
Hearing - series of events in which sound waves in the air
are converted to electrical signals, which are sent as nerve
impulses to the brain, where they are interpreted.
Hearing aid - electronic device that brings amplified sound
to the ear. A hearing aid usually consists of a microphone,
amplifier, and receiver.
Hearing disorder - disruption in the normal hearing process
that may occur in outer, middle, or inner ear, whereby sound
waves are not conducted to the inner ear, converted to
electrical signals and/or nerve impulses are not transmitted
to the brain to be interpreted.
Hereditary hearing impairment - hearing loss passed down
through generations of a family.
Hoarseness - abnormally rough or harsh-sounding voice caused
by vocal abuse and other disorders such as gastroesophageal
reflux, thyroid problems, or trauma to the larynx (voice
box).
Hypogeusia - diminished sensitivity to taste.
Hyposmia - diminished sensitivity to smell.
I
Inner ear - part of the ear that contains both the
organ of hearing (the cochlea) and the organ of balance (the
labyrinth).
J
K
Kallmann's syndrome - disorder that can include several
characteristics such as absence of the sense of smell and
decreased functional activity of the gonads (organs that
produce sex cells), affecting growth and sexual development.
L
Labyrinth - organ of balance located in the inner ear. The
labyrinth consists of three semicircular canals and the
vestibule.
Labyrinthine hydrops - excessive fluid in the organ of
balance (labyrinth); can cause pressure or fullness in the
ears, hearing loss, dizziness, and loss of balance.
Labyrinthitis - viral or bacterial infection or inflammation
of the inner ear that can cause dizziness, loss of balance,
and temporary hearing loss.
Landau-Kleffner syndrome - childhood disorder of unknown
origin which often extends into adulthood and can be
identified by gradual or sudden loss of the ability to
understand and use spoken language.
Language - system for communicating ideas and feelings using
sounds, gestures, signs, or marks.
Language disorders - any of a number of problems with verbal
communication and the ability to use or understand a symbol
system for communication.
Laryngeal neoplasms - abnormal growths in the larynx (voice
box) that can be cancerous or noncancerous.
Laryngeal nodules - noncancerous, callous-like growths on
the inner parts of the vocal folds (vocal cords); usually
caused by vocal abuse or misuse.
Laryngeal paralysis - loss of function or feeling of one or
both of the vocal folds caused by injury or disease to the
nerves of the larynx.
Laryngectomy - surgery to remove part or all of the larynx
(voice box).
Laryngitis - hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice
because of irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords).
Larynx - valve structure between the trachea (windpipe) and
the pharynx (the upper throat) that is the primary organ of
voice production.
Learning disabilities - childhood disorders characterized by
difficulty with certain skills such as reading or writing in
individuals with normal intelligence.
M
Mastoid - back portion of the temporal bone that contains
the inner ear.
Mastoid surgery - surgical procedure to remove infection
from the mastoid bone.
Meige syndrome - movement disorder that can involve
excessive eye blinking (blepharospasm) with involuntary
movements of the jaw muscles, lips, and tongue (oromandibular
dystonia).
Ménière's disease - inner ear disorder that can affect both
hearing and balance. It can cause episodes of vertigo,
hearing loss, tinnitus, and the sensation of fullness in the
ear.
Meningitis - inflammation of the meninges, the membranes
that envelop the brain and the spinal cord; may cause
hearing loss or deafness.
Middle ear - part of the ear that includes the eardrum and
three tiny bones of the middle ear, ending at the round
window that leads to the inner ear.
Misarticulation - inaccurately produced speech sound
(phoneme) or sounds.
Motion sickness - dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and
generalized discomfort experienced when an individual is in
motion.
Motor speech disorders - group of disorders caused by the
inability to accurately produce speech sounds (phonemes)
because of muscle weakness or incoordination or difficulty
performing voluntary muscle movements.
N
Neural plasticity - ability of the brain and/or certain
parts of the nervous system to adapt to new conditions, such
as an injury.
Neural prostheses - devices that substitute for an injured
or diseased part of the nervous system, such as the cochlear
implant.
Neural stimulation - to activate or energize a nerve through
an external source.
Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF-1 von Recklinghausen's) - group
of inherited disorders in which noncancerous tumors grow on
several nerves that may include the hearing nerve. The
symptoms of NF-1 include coffee-colored spots on the skin,
enlargement, deformation of bones, and neurofibromas.
Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF-2) - group of inherited
disorders in which noncancerous tumors grow on several
nerves that usually include the hearing nerve. The symptoms
of NF-2 include tumors on the hearing nerve which can affect
hearing and balance. NF-2 may occur in the teenage years
with hearing loss. Also see acoustic neurinoma.
Neurogenic communication disorder - inability to exchange
information with others because of hearing, speech, and/or
language problems caused by impairment of the nervous system
(brain or nerves).
Noise-induced hearing loss - hearing loss caused by exposure
to harmful sounds, either very loud impulse sound(s) or
repeated exposure to sounds over 90-decibel level over an
extended period of time that damage the sensitive structures
of the inner ear.
Nonsyndromic hereditary hearing impairment - hearing loss or
deafness that is inherited and is not associated with other
inherited clinical characteristics.
O
Odorant - substance that stimulates the sense of smell.
Olfaction - the act of smelling.
Olfactometer - device for estimating the intensity of the
sense of smell.
Open-set speech recognition - understanding speech without
visual clues (speech reading).
Otitis externa - inflammation of the outer part of the ear
extending to the auditory canal.
Otitis media - inflammation of the middle ear caused by
infection.
Otoacoustic emissions - low-intensity sounds produced by the
inner ear that can be quickly measured with a sensitive
microphone placed in the ear canal.
Otolaryngologist - physician/surgeon who specializes in
diseases of the ears, nose, throat, and head and neck.
Otologist - physician/surgeon who specializes in diseases of
the ear.
Otosclerosis - abnormal growth of bone of the inner ear.
This bone prevents structures within the ear from working
properly and causes hearing loss. For some people with
otosclerosis, the hearing loss may become severe.
Ototoxic drugs - drugs such as a special class of
antibiotics, aminoglycoside antibiotics, that can damage the
hearing and balance organs located in the inner ear for some
individuals.
Outer ear - external portion of the ear, consisting of the
pinna, or auricle, and the ear canal.
P
Papillomavirus - group of viruses that can cause
noncancerous wart-like tumors to grow on the surface of skin
and internal organs such as the respiratory tract; can be
life-threatening.
Parosmia - any disease or perversion of the sense of smell,
especially the subjective perception of odors that do not
exist.
Perception (Hearing) - process of knowing or being aware of
information through the ear.
Perilymph fistula - leakage of inner ear fluid to the middle
ear that occurs without apparent cause or that is associated
with head trauma, physical exertion, or barotrauma.
Pervasive developmental disorders - disorders characterized
by delays in several areas of development that may include
socialization and communication.
Pheromones - chemical substances secreted by an animal that
elicits a specific behavioral or physiological response in
another animal of the same species.
Phonology - study of speech sounds.
Postlingually deafened - individual who becomes deaf after
having acquired language.
Prelingually deafened - individual who is either born deaf
or who lost his or her hearing early in childhood, before
acquiring language.
Presbycusis - loss of hearing that gradually occurs because
of changes in the inner or middle ear in individuals as they
grow older.
R
Reading disorders - any of a group of problems characterized
by difficulty using or understanding the symbol system for
written language.
Round window - membrane separating the middle ear and inner
ear.
S
Sensorineural hearing loss - hearing loss caused by
damage to the sensory cells and/or nerve fibers of the inner
ear.
Sign language - method of communication for people who are
deaf or hard of hearing in which hand movements, gestures,
and facial expressions convey grammatical structure and
meaning.
Smell - to perceive odor or scent through stimuli affecting
the olfactory nerves. See olfaction.
Smell disorder - inability to perceive odors. It may be
temporary, caused by a head cold or swelling or blockage of
the nasal passages. It can be permanent when any part of the
olfactory region is damaged by factors such as brain injury,
tumor, disease, or chronic rhinitis.
Sound vocalization - ability to produce voice.
Spasmodic dysphonia - momentary disruption of voice caused
by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the
larynx or voice box.
Specific language impairment (SLI) - difficulty with
language or the organized-symbol system used for
communication in the absence of problems such as mental
retardation, hearing loss, or emotional disorders.
Speech - spoken communication.
Speech disorder - any defect or abnormality that prevents an
individual from communicating by means of spoken words.
Speech disorders may develop from nerve injury to the brain,
muscular paralysis, structural defects, hysteria, or mental
retardation.
Speech processor - part of a cochlear implant that converts
speech sounds into electrical impulses to stimulate the
auditory nerve, allowing an individual to understand sound
and speech.
Speech-Language pathologist - health professional trained to
evaluate and treat people who have voice, speech, language,
or swallowing disorders (including hearing impairment) that
affect their ability to communicate.
Stroke - also known as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA);
caused by a lack of blood to the brain, resulting in the
sudden loss of speech, language, or the ability to move a
body part, and, if severe enough, death.
Stuttering - frequent repetition of words or parts of words
that disrupts the smooth flow of speech.
Sudden deafness - loss of hearing that occurs quickly due to
such causes as explosion, a viral infection, or the use of
some drugs.
Swallowing disorders - any of a group of problems that
interferes with the transfer of food from the mouth to the
stomach.
Syndromic hearing impairment - hearing loss or deafness
that, along with other characteristics, is inherited or
passed down through generations of a family.
T
Tactile - related to touch or the sense of touch.
Tactile devices - mechanical instruments that make use of
touch to help individuals who have certain disabilities,
such as deaf-blindness, to communicate.
Taste - sensation produced by a stimulus applied to the
gustatory nerve endings in the tongue. The four tastes are
salt, sour, sweet, and bitter. Some scientists indicate the
existence of a fifth taste, described as savory.
Taste buds - groups of cells located on the tongue that
enable one to recognize different tastes.
Taste disorder - inability to perceive different flavors.
Taste disorders may result from poor oral hygiene, gum
disease, hepatitis, or medicines and chemotherapeutic drugs.
Taste disorders may also be neurological.
Throat disorders - disorders or diseases of the larynx
(voice box), pharynx, or esophagus.
Thyroplasty - surgical technique to improve voice by
altering the cartilages of the larynx, which houses the
vocal folds (vocal cords), in order to change the position
or length of the vocal folds. Also known as laryngeal
framework surgery.
Tinnitus - sensation of a ringing, roaring, or buzzing sound
in the ears or head. It is often associated with many forms
of hearing impairment and noise exposure.
Tongue - large muscle on the floor of the mouth that
manipulates food for chewing and swallowing. It is the main
organ of taste, and assists in forming speech sounds.
Touch - tactile sense; the sense by which contact with the
skin or mucous membrane is experienced.
Tourette syndrome - neurological disorder characterized by
recurring movements and sounds (called tics).
Tracheostomy - surgical opening into the trachea (windpipe)
to help someone breathe who has an obstruction or swelling
in the larynx (voice box) or upper throat or who has had the
larynx surgically removed.
Tuberous Sclerosis - Hereditary disease with multiorgan
manifestation. Typical symptoms are epileptic seizures,
autism, skin disorders, and renal tumors.
Tympanoplasty - surgical repair of the eardrum (tympanic
membrane) or bones of the middle ear.
U
Umami - Taste of substances such as L-glutamate
salts (MSG) that are found in foods like bouillon and other
stocks.
Usher syndrome - hereditary disease that affects hearing and
vision and sometimes balance.
V
Velocardiofacial syndrome - inherited disorder characterized
by cleft palate (opening in the roof of the mouth), heart
defects, characteristic facial appearance, minor learning
problems, and speech and feeding problems.
Vertigo - illusion of movement; a sensation as if the
external world were revolving around an individual
(objective vertigo) or as if the individual were revolving
in space (subjective vertigo).
Vestibular Neuronitis - infection at the vestibular nerve.
Vestibular system - system in the body that is responsible
for maintaining balance, posture, and the body's orientation
in space. This system also regulates locomotion and other
movements and keeps objects in visual focus as the body
moves.
Vestibule - bony cavity of the inner ear.
Vibrotactile aids - mechanical instruments that help
individuals who are deaf to detect and interpret sound
through the sense of touch.
Vocal cord paralysis - inability of one or both vocal folds
(vocal cords) to move because of damage to the brain or
nerves.
Vocal cords (Vocal folds) - muscularized folds of mucous
membrane that extend from the larynx (voice box) wall. The
folds are enclosed in elastic vocal ligament and muscle that
control the tension and rate of vibration of the cords as
air passes through them.
Vocal folds - see Vocal cords.
Vocal tremor - trembling or shaking of one or more of the
muscles of the larynx, resulting in an unsteady-sounding
voice.
Voice - sound produced by air passing out through the larynx
and upper respiratory tract.
Voice disorders - group of problems involving abnormal
pitch, loudness, or quality of the sound produced by the
larynx (voice box).
W
Waardenburg syndrome - hereditary disorder that is
characterized by hearing impairment, a white shock of hair
and/or distinctive blue color to one or both eyes, and
wide-set inner corners of the eyes. Balance problems are
also associated with some types of Waardenburg syndrome.
