Medical Vocabulary: Medical Words from House M.D.

Foreman, Wilson and House
Image from FOX

There is always something to learn no matter how many times I rewatch House M.D.. The last one was Medical & Vocabulary: New Words from House Finale, you may like to take a look at it and all those in under the label Medical if you are interested.


At the end of season 1 episode 14, the CEO of a cosmetic company was eventually discovered to be hiding her bulimia nervosa, 

Bulimia nervosa
Image from howtoloosebellyfatfast

Wikipedia cites resources and define bulimia as,


"an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and purging, or consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time, followed by an attempt to rid oneself of the food consumed (purging), typically by vomiting, taking a laxative or diuretic and/or excessive exercise, and commonly accompanied with fasting over an extended period of time."


In short, it means, a bulimic person will eat a lot, then use any means to remove the food from their body again. This may not sound too dangerous but in fact, this could damage the heart and the esophagus (the throat and lower). 


In season 1 episode 17, patient was suspected to have taken date-rape drug, any drug that can be used to assist in the execution of a sexual assault, such as a non-consensual sexual act and/or non-consensual intercourse (date rape).


In season 2 episode 7, a father and his homosexual son were diagnosed to have been affected by Echinococcus granulosus,

Image from CDC

Dr. House confirmed his diagnosis as he ruptured a cyst in the father's liver, causing a reaction called an anaphylactic shock, an allergic reaction which causes severe breathing difficulty. Anaphylaxis has been mentioned in the entry Medical & Vocabulary: "Hives" & Allergy. If you have already forgotten about it, you can do with a quick revision. Otherwise, you can watch this part of Monsters Inside Me to learn more about Echinococcus granulosus,

In season 2 episode 9, Dr. House treated a patient who happened to have two medical problems, one of which is Münchausen Syndrome, 

House with Münchausen syndrome patient
Image from FOX

Wikipedia defines it as,
"a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma to draw attention or sympathy to themselves. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome or hospital hopper syndrome."


In simple words, the patient enjoys getting attentions from doctors and nurses so they visit and revisit hospitals for the attention.


Weird, but there are people like that in Hong Kong too, as I have learnt from a doctor friend.

Image from Wikipedia

Anemia was another complication the patient had, "also spelled anaemia and anæmia, meaning lack of blood, is a decrease in number of red blood cells (RBCs) or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood."

I'll keep watching and writing, if I have time.


Vocabulary:

Bulimia nervosa -- (n)[U] an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and purging, or consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time, followed by an attempt to rid oneself of the food consumed (purging), typically by vomiting, taking a laxative or diuretic and/or excessive exercise, and commonly accompanied with fasting over an extended period of time.

binge eating -- (n)  [C] informal an occasion when an activity is done in an extreme way, especially eating, drinking or spending money
purge -- (vb)[T] to make someone or something free of something evil or harmfullaxative -- (n)[C] a substance that makes the waste from someone's bowels come outdiuretic --(n) [C] specialized a substance which causes an increase in the production of urine

esophagus -- (n) (plural oesophaguses) (US esophagus) [C] specialized the tube in the body which takes food from the mouth to the stomach

date-rape drug -- (n)[C] any drug that can be used to assist in the execution of a sexual assault, such as a non-consensual sexual act and/or non-consensual intercourse (date rape).
consensual -- (adj)  formal or legal with the willing agreement of all the people involved
Echinococcus -- (n)[U]also called the Hydatid worm or Hyper Tape-worm or Dog Tapeworm,
Munchausen Syndrome -- (n)[U] a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma to draw attention or sympathy to themselves. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome or hospital hopper syndrome.
feign -- (vb)[T] to pretend to feel something, usually an emotion
Anemia -- (n)[U]  a decrease in number of red blood cells (RBCs) or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood
Pica -- (n)[U] abnormal appetite for earth and other non-foods



Resources:

Medical & Vocabulary: New Words from House Finale @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2011/12/medical-vocabulary-new-words-from-house.html

Bulimia nervosa @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulimia

Lines in the Sand (House MD) @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lines_in_the_Sand_(House)

Date rape drug  @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Date-rape_drug

Echinococcus @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinococcus

Medical & Vocabulary: "Hives" & Allergy @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2011/05/medical-vocabulary-hives-allergy.html

TV & Medical : Monsters Inside Me x House M.D. @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2011/07/tv-medical-monsters-inside-me-x-house.html

Münchausen syndrome @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCnchausen_syndrome


http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/binge_1?q=binge
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/purge_2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/laxative?q=laxative+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/diuretic?q=diuretic+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/oesophagus
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/consensual?q=consensual+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/feign?q=feign+