SpinalNet - Glossary E

Glossary E

Scroll down this list to find the medical term and its explanation, or click on the link below to jump straight to that section. Click on the table above to choose another letter.

Ea El

Em Es

Et Ez

Ea - Em
Efferent	Refers to nerves that carry messages from the brain and spinal cord towards the muscles and glands in the body, i.e., motor nerves.
Ejaculation	Process in males by which the sperm (contained in a fluid called semen) are squirted out of the penis at the point of sexual climax.
Elastic tissue	Body tissue that is strong, flexible and can be stretched, but will return to its original shape after stretching. For example, tissue found in the lungs, walls of blood vessels and the skin.
Electrical stimulation (of muscles)	Use of electrical pulses (applied using electrodes attached to the surface of the body) to trigger muscle contraction.
Electrocardiogram	Record of the electrical activity of the heart that is produced by placing a number of recording electrodes onto the chest area.
Electrode	A device that is used to sense or apply electrical activity.
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Embolism	A blood clot that breaks off and travels around the body until it enters a blood vessel too narrow for it to continue. The blockage of this blood vessel then causes damage downstream of the embolism due to lack of oxygen and nutrients getting to this tissue.
Embryo	Name given to a baby in the first 8 weeks of development in the womb.
Enema	Administration of liquid into the rectum (bowel) through a tube, usually with the aim of triggering bowel movement and the passage of stools.
Enteral	Refers to a method of providing food to people that involves inserting a tube into the digestive tract and passing liquid food down it so that it goes directly into the tract.
Enzyme	Chemicals (proteins) produced by the body that speed up biological reactions taking place within the body, without being used up themselves.
Epidermis	The outer layer of the skin.
Epididymis	Tube that leads from the testes to the sperm duct and urethra. The sperm travel slowly from the testes and down the epididymis as they mature.
Epidural	Injection of a local anaesthetic (drug that prevents the sensation of pain) into the middle/lower back of a woman before she gives birth. The drug prevents the woman feeling pain from the chest level downwards.
Epiglottis	A flap of tissue (cartilage) located in the throat just above the larynx. It closes off the larynx during swallowing, to ensure food passes into the stomach and does not enter the airways.
Erectile dysfunction	Problems that a man may have in achieving an erect (firm) penis.
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Evaporation	The process by which a substance changes from a liquid to a gas, or by which moisture is lost, e.g., the water in sweat evaporates from the surface of the skin and produces a cooling effect.
Excretion	The removal of a waste product from the body.
Excretion rate	The amount of a substance removed from the body in a given time period.
Extend	Used to describe an action that straightens a limb or part of the body.
Extensor	A muscle that is involved in straightening (extending) a limb or part of the body.
External anal sphincter	A ring of muscle around the anus that acts like a valve. It works in conjunction with another valve (the internal anal sphincter) to control the passage of faeces from the rectum (bowel) to the outside. The external anal sphincter is controlled voluntarily (consciously). It is normally contracted, and when faeces need to be removed, it relaxes.
External urethral sphincter	A valve-like structure made of a ring of muscle, located along the urethra. This valve can open and close, and works in conjunction with another valve called the internal urethral sphincter, to control when urine leaves the bladder, i.e., when urination occurs.
External urine drainage system	Artificial method of draining urine from the bladder that does not involve the insertion of catheters into the body, but rather collects the urine once it has left the body. Condom catheters (sheath placed around the penis), are connected to a drianage tube at the tip, or absorbent padding.

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