Appointments move quickly, and a single unfamiliar word can leave you nodding along without really following. This page translates terms that come up often in our articles and in consulting rooms. The explanations are deliberately simple. If a word was used about you personally, ask the person who used it what it means in your case; that question is always reasonable.
At the doctor's
Blood pressure
The force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, written as two numbers. The first is measured while the heart beats, the second while it rests between beats. One reading is a snapshot; patterns over time tell you more.
Cholesterol (HDL and LDL)
A fatty substance carried in the blood. Results are often split into types, sometimes nicknamed "good" and "bad". What counts as a concern depends on your wider health, which is why the numbers are best discussed rather than judged alone.
Fasting test
A blood test taken after a set period without food, so a recent meal does not affect the result. You will be told beforehand whether water and regular medicines are allowed.
Referral
When one professional passes you on to another, usually a specialist, for a closer look or a particular treatment.
Side effect and interaction
A side effect is an unwanted effect of a medicine. An interaction is when two substances, such as two medicines or a medicine and a supplement, change how each other works. Pharmacists are well placed to check both.
At the dentist
Plaque and tartar
Plaque is the soft, sticky film of bacteria that forms on teeth every day and can be brushed away. Left alone, it hardens into tartar (also called calculus), which needs professional cleaning to remove.
Gingivitis and periodontitis
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums, often noticed as bleeding when brushing; it is usually reversible with good cleaning. Periodontitis is a more advanced stage that affects the tissue and bone holding teeth in place and needs a dentist's care.
Implant and crown
An implant is a small post placed in the jawbone to replace a tooth root. A crown is a cap that covers a tooth, or sits on an implant, to restore its shape. Our guide on how often to see a dentist covers what routine visits usually include.
Mind and mood
Stress, anxiety and burnout
Stress is the body's response to pressure. Anxiety describes worry or fear that lingers or feels out of proportion. Burnout is a term often used for long-term exhaustion linked to work. They overlap, and a professional can help untangle which applies.
Sleep hygiene
The everyday habits around sleep: regular times, a dark and quiet room, and winding down before bed. It sounds formal, but it is mostly routine.
Talking therapy
An umbrella term for treatments where you work through thoughts, feelings and behaviour with a trained practitioner. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one well-known form.
Quitting smoking
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
Products such as patches, gum or lozenges that supply nicotine without tobacco smoke, to ease withdrawal. A pharmacist can talk through which kinds might suit you.
Withdrawal and cravings
Withdrawal is the set of physical and emotional effects felt after stopping nicotine, such as irritability or restlessness. Cravings are strong urges to smoke; they tend to rise and fall rather than build forever.
Lapse and relapse
A lapse is a slip, such as a single cigarette. A relapse means returning to regular smoking. Treating a lapse as information rather than failure makes it easier to carry on, as our article on preparing for the first weeks without cigarettes explains.