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!

"Possible" for peri area.

"Wash as far up as possible, as far down as possible, but dont forget possible"

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Walking Corpse Syndrome.

I kid you not. The nurse who showed me this syndrome told me in your near 40 years of nursing she had NEVER come across "Walking Corpse Syndrome."

I first came across this diagnosis when an errant keystroke in our new EMR lead me to it. And then (as so often happens), within a couple of months I actually had a patient that had been diagnosed with this. The patient didn't mention it in her complicated health history and I couldn't bring myself to ask her about it.

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Specializes in Going to Peds!.

I first came across this diagnosis when an errant keystroke in our new EMR lead me to it. And then (as so often happens), within a couple of months I actually had a patient that had been diagnosed with this. The patient didn't mention it in her complicated health history and I couldn't bring myself to ask her about it.

Ok, y'all got me curious. What's walking corpse syndrome?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
Ok, y'all got me curious. What's walking corpse syndrome?

As I remember, the syndrome is characterized by the patient feeling "outside" of themselves, as if observing their own life from a distance. Lack of emotions, flat affect.

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The Cotard delusion, Cotard's syndrome, or Walking Corpse Syndrome is a rare mental disorder in which people hold a delusional belief that they are dead and decomposing.

Gives a whole new meaning to the word "emo"....

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"fits' for seizures

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Specializes in retired LTC.

To roser13 & jadelpn - TY for the info. Never too old to learn something new!

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COPD pts- Pink puffer for emphysema, Blue bloater for chronic bronchitis

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Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.

Here people were talking about "passing water". Like they had to "pass their water". Or they have trouble "passing their water".

Passing water = urinating

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How about when people say they "have a temperature," when they mean a fever.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
COPD pts- Pink puffer for emphysema, Blue bloater for chronic bronchitis

Boy, that's an oldie but goodie!

This thread is fun reading!

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"Possible" for peri area.

"Wash as far up as possible, as far down as possible, but dont forget possible"

That brings back memories. My grandmother use to say that ALL the time.

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