Glossary - U
Displaying all 23 glossary term beginning with the letter U
- ulcer
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A break in the skin or other surface that often occurs along with inflammation, infection, or cancerous growth.
- ultrasound
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A painless, noninvasive imaging method that uses high-frequency sound waves.Related health topics: Breast Cancer, Crohn's Disease, Eczema, Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) , Stomach Cancer, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus , Ulcerative Colitis
- unopposed estrogen
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Estrogen taken without an accompanying progestogen.
- unresolved losses
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Personal losses that are not acknowledged and mourned. Many mental health experts believe that reactions to these losses crop up later, often skewing a person's response to an entirely different loss.
- unsaturated fat
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Healthy dietary fats from plant sources as vegetable oils, nuts, and whole grains, as well as from fatty fish. Includes monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
- unsaturated fats
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A type of fat in which some of the hydrogen atoms in each molecule have been replaced by double bonds; includes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
- unstable angina
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Chest pain that occurs or worsens in frequency, severity, or duration when a person is at rest or engaging in mild activity.
- upper airway resistance syndrome
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Inhalation that requires undue extra exertion; this extra work may cause insomnia and daytime sleepiness.
- upper esophageal sphincter
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Muscular valve located at the upper portion of the esophagus that opens to allow food or liquid to enter the digestive system.
- urea
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A waste product of protein digestion and metabolism.
- ureter
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The tube that connects each kidney to the bladder.
- urethra
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The tube leading from the bladder through which urine is carried from the body.Related health topics: Kidney Cancer
- urethral hypermobility
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Movement of the urethra out of place when abdominal pressure increases, leading to stress incontinence.
- urethritis
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Inflammation of the urethra.
- urgency
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The sudden and uncontrollable need to urinate or defecate.
- urinary frequency
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Routinely needing to urinate more than eight times during the day or more than twice at night.
- urinary incontinence
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Inability to control urine flow, resulting in involuntary discharge or leakage.
- urinary tract
- urologist
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A specialist who deals with the urinary tract and male reproductive system.Related health topics: Cystic Fibrosis
- urticaria (hives)
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An itchy rash of usually short duration.Related health topics: Bladder Cancer
- uveitis
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Inflammation of the pigmented part of the eye (the iris); may seriously affect vision.
- uvula
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A small, fleshy flap of tissue that hangs from the back of the throat over the root of the tongue.
- uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
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A surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that involves removing the uvula, the tonsils, and a rim of loose tissue at the back of the soft palate.