Spinal Cord Injury healthcare information in one catch

Glossary M

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 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. Ma Me Mf Mp Mq Mz Ma Me Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Involves using powerful magnetic fields and pulses of radio waves to produce images of body tissues. Malnutrition The state of having a diet that does not provide the correct balance of food groups for a healthy body. Mammary glands The milk-producing glands in a female that are also known as breasts. Manual (bowel) evacuation/extraction Stimulation of the muscles in the walls of the rectum (bowel) by inserting a gloved, lubricated finger through the anus – aimed at encouraging the passing of stools. Manual (bowel) stimulation Also termed digital stimulation. Stimulation of the muscles in the walls of the rectum (bowel) by inserting a gloved, lubricated finger through the anus – aimed at encouraging the passing of stools. Mechanical pain Pain that occurs when the soft tissue and/or ligaments surrounding a joint are overstretched, because of the position of the bones, e.g., following injury. Mechanical ventilation Mechanical help with breathing, using an electrically powered device that ‘pushes’ air into the airways/lungs during breathing in, and allows air to leave the lungs during breathing out. The air may be oxygen-enriched. Membrane A thin layer of tissue that covers a body surface, lines an internal space or tube, or separates structures in the body. Menopause The point in a woman’s life when she stops having periods (menstruating) every month, because her ovaries have stopped releasing eggs (ova). The woman is therefore no longer able to become pregnant. Menstrual cycle Series of events that occurs every month in a woman who is producing reproductive cells (eggs, ova). Each month, an egg matures and is released from the ovaries. If it is fertilised by a sperm it embeds into the thickened wall of the womb and develops into an embryo. If it is not fertilised, then it is released from the womb along with the thickened lining in a process called menstruation (a ‘period’). The cycle begins again as another egg begins to mature in the ovaries. Menstruation In the absence of pregnancy, menstruation (‘a period’) is a monthly event that occurs when a woman’s thickened womb lining breaks down and is released out of the body through the vagina. Metabolism All the chemical processes that take place in the body. Mf Mp back to top Micro-organisms Fungi, bacteria, viruses or other microscopic life-forms. Micturition Another name for the process of passing urine. Mineral A naturally occurring chemical. Many minerals exist, and many are needed by the body in order to work properly, e.g., calcium. Mini-enema Administration of a small volume of liquid into the rectum (bowel), usually with the aim of triggering bowel movement and the passage of stools. Mitrofanoff procedure Surgical replacement of the bladder with a pouch made from part of the bowel. Drainage is via a small opening on the abdomen. Mobilisation Starting to move around after a period of restricted movement. For example, getting up from bed rest after a spinal injury. Motor Describes muscles or the ability to move. Motor nerves are the nerves that send messages away from the brain and spinal cord towards muscles or other destinations in the body. Motor cortex The area of the brain that controls voluntary movement. Motor function Usually refers to the ability to move. However, it may also be used to describe how muscles that are not directly involved in body movement are working, such as those found in the walls of blood vessels and the digestive tract. It may also be used to refer to the activity of the nerves (motor nerves) that send messages away from the brain and spinal cord. Motor nerve A nerve that passes information from the brain and/or spinal cord to a muscle or gland around the body. Mq Mz back to top Mucus The protective layer of gel-like fluid covering many internal body surfaces, such as the linings of the gut and breathing tubes. Muscle fibre electrical activity A measure of the condition of a muscle, using equipment that monitors the muscle’s electrical activity (i.e., the waves of electrical messages that travel across the muscle to trigger it to contract). Muscle relaxants Drugs that promote the relaxation of body muscles. They may be used to treat muscle spasms and other disorders of the nervous system. Muscle tone The background level of contraction that is seen in a resting muscle. Muscle wasting The loss of muscle, perhaps as a result of lack of use. As the muscle becomes smaller, it also becomes weaker. Myelinated axons (or nerves) A nerve cell in which its long thread-like extension (axon) is covered in a layer of white, fatty, insulating material called myelin. This covering makes impulses travel along the nerve cells more quickly. back to top

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