Unusual Names for Medical Diagnoses

Nurses General Nursing

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I am doing a speech on making the most of a visit to a doctor. I want to emphasize the importance of knowing the proper name for diagnoses. I need some help coming up with unusual, weird, cultural, or just plain improper names for diagnoses...things like "piles" instead of hemorrhoids, "high blood" instead of high blood pressure, or "the sugar" instead of diabetes. I've searched the Internet and am just not finding what I am looking for.

Can anyone help me out? I am not asking people to do my homework for me...LOL...I have been a nurse for a long time...just furthering my education. ?

Thanks!

Specializes in retired LTC.

sweet blood = diabetes

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"Pressure" (I've got pressure) meaning high blood pressure

And my personal all time favorite

"I had a spell" (which could be she had a spell, he had a spell......) Which could be anything from fainting to a seizure to whatever...

"hysteria" which is any sort of emotional outburst

And I love how some patients put "the" in front of any diagnosis .

It would also be interesting to talk about what types of things that people believe they need to do or not do for things. Lots of times patients believe their high blood pressure meds are only to be taken until the pills are gone, and then they are "cured". Feed a cold starve a fever. That people need to be under a mountain of blankets to "sweat" out a sickness or a fever. That vicks vapor rub is akin to the second coming. That any old cold medicine/cough medicine for kids is just like tylenol. That babies need to be bundled up in multiple layers or they will "catch" a cold. Or for that matter, one gets a cold from the cold. Or worse pneumonia from the cold.

Would love to see your finished product after you do your paper/talk. Interesting stuff.

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Oh, and on the same vein...

up-chuck for vomiting

The curse for menstral cycle (or "that time")

I am having a headache

The change of life--menopause

And "the gout" is any inflammation of any joint/muscle/toe.

Stopped up--constipation

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

If a pt comes into my inner city ER and says he/she "got dat gangsta," they are HIV+

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Had no idea what 'old timer's disease' was. Silly me = Alzheimer's. Brain snap!

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

flea bites = phlebitis

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Specializes in Pulmonary, Lung Transplant, Med/Surg.

I've had a few people refer to arthritis by the name Arthur, "Arthur got me" ... So hard not to laugh!

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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as of late at work i've been hearing a lot of people (both patients, and techs who don't know what it means) say DNC-- to which theyre referring to a D&C- Dilatation & Curettage. I've seen it charted this way many times

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Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.

My clinical instructor refera to HIV+ patients as having a House In Virginia.

Another term I've heard is a VIP patient, for STD or blood borne pathogens

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Specializes in PCCN.

falling out

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.

"Done fell out" = syncopal episode

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Christy1019 said:
"Done fell out" = syncopal episode

?

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