Glossary Of Terms Starting With
-S-

Saluretic:

Substance increasing elimination of salts into the urine.

SCC:

Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Secretagogue:

Agent promoting secretion.

Secretolytic:

Agent breaking down secretions.

Secretomotory:

Stimulating secretion.

Self-Esteem:

The extent to which a person views himself or herself favorably.  People who view themselves favorably have good/high self-esteem whereas people who view themselves negatively have poor/low self-esteem.  Self-esteem affects a person's behavior dramatically.

Septum:

A membrane wall separating two or more cavities, such as the one between the nasal fossae and those separating the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs.

Serum:

The cell-free fluid of the bloodstream.  It appears in a test tube after the blood clots and is often used in expressions relating to the levels of certain compounds in the blood stream.

Sexual Neurasthenia:

Psychogenic inhibition of sexual performance.

Sleep Terror:

See Night Terrors.

Sleep Terrors:

See Night Terrors.

Small Bowel Resection:

A surgical procedure to remove part or all of the small bowel (small intestine) that is blocked or diseased.

Soporific:

Sleep-inducing agent.

Spondylarthritis:

Intervertebral arthritis.

SRI:

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor.  The result of this inhibition action is to maintain higher levels of serotonin.

Stasis:

Static, atonic, unable to resolve or initiate change, resulting in lymphatic and venous stasis, congestion or stagnation.  For example, an intestinal blockage.

Static Edema:

Fluid accumulation in condition of confinement.

Stenocardia:

Angina pectoris.

Stomach:

A hollow, muscular, J-shaped pouch located in the upper left abdomen.  The function of the stomach is to begin digestion by physically breaking down food received from the esophagus.  The tissues of the stomach wall are composed of three types of muscle, creating the structural elasticity and contractility needed for digestion.  The stomach mucosa contains cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and this in turn activates the other gastric enzymes pepsin and rennin.  To protect itself from being destroyed by its own enzymes, the stomach's mucous lining must constantly regenerate itself.

Strangury:

Painful, sporadic and drop-by-drop urination, caused by the presence of kidney stones, chronic inflammation such as interstitial cystitis, or urethral scar tissue.

Strongyloid:

Nematode parasite.

Struma:

Goiter, any enlargement of a tissue.

Subacute:

Having characteristics of both acute and chronic.  This is the state in a disease when most of the aches and pains have subsided and you are likely to overdo things and not completely recover.  The chest cold that lingers for weeks as a stubborn cough is a subacute condition, as is the tendonitis that lingers because you won't stop playing tennis long enough to completely heal.

Subclinical:

Pertaining to a disease or condition: Not manifesting characteristic clinical symptoms, that is, not detectable through examination and/or having no symptoms; the period of time when a potential disease is still potential, and a functional imbalance or tendency has not caused any organic disruption.  Those years of poor digestion, heartburn, and the systematic suppression of upper intestinal function by adrenalin stress have not yet become overt gastritis, ulcers, or IBS.

Subcutaneous:

Below the surface of the skin.  Subdermal: Below the surface of the skin, and below subcutaneous, but definitely higher up than the muscles.

Subdermal:

See Subcutaneous.

Sublingual:

Situated or administered under the tongue, for example sublingual glands or sublingual tablets.

Sublingually:

See Sublingual.

Subungual:

Beneath a fingernail or toenail.

Syndrome:

A medical condition characterized by a collection of related symptoms (what the patient feels) and signs (what a doctor can observe or measure).

Synthetic T3-T4 Combination:

Examples of T3-T4 combination thyroid hormone replacements include: Thyrolar or Liotrix.

Systole:

Contraction of the heart.