RESOURCE [DO NOT POST -- UNDER CONSTRUCTION] Nova's Anatomy: Medicine and You, the Writer

novaluna

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uhhhhhh so it turns out that i'm like super busy righ now? and med school is hard??????? anyway, my goal is to get this done over my winter break, so it's gonna be a hot minute before this is finished. however, i appreciate your patience & support!

STOP

this resource is currently under construction. i ask kindly that you do not post here for the time being until there "do not post" is no longer a part of the thread's title. if you need to reach out to me about this resource for any reason, either pm me or comment on this thread in the help section which is addressing the making of this resource. i'll apologize in advance as this will take some time to complete, but that's only because 1) i am an actual medical student in the midst of my studies and 2) i want to make this accurate and helpful as possible!

feel free to read the information as i work on the thread, but do not take it verbatim until i have completed the resource in its entirety as i'll be updating portions throughout as i see fit.

thanks!
- nova.xx


INDEX
prologue, author's note, & resources
chapter one — anatomy & terminology
chapter two — common ailments & injuries
chapter three — the medical profession
chapter four — the hospital & its history
chapter five — historical impact of disease
chapter six — integration of fact & fiction

nova's anatomy
PROLOGUE

Medicine is a part of our everyday lives as human beings. Whether you interact with it directly—in the form of a doctor's appointment or a surgical procedure—or indirectly—by taking medication or putting some Neosporin on a cut—medicine is integral to our understanding of life as we know it and our histories, too. The work that has gone into understanding the human body spans millennia and is still happening to this day, and the practice of medicine is ever-evolving because of it. With this guide, I'm hoping to shed some light on medicine—both as a practice and as a diagnostic and treatment tool. Even better yet, maybe you'll learn something along the way!

AUTHOR'S NOTE
I feel I am the best person to write this as I am currently a medical student (and upon graduation, a second-generation doctor), and I noticed that there's a general lack of information regarding medicine on the forum. I cannot promise everything will be precisely perfect, but I will search high and low to ensure that it is to the best of my knowledge. I understand that many medical resources are very difficult to understand, and I want to help bridge that gap with the information that I am constantly learning through classes and experience with patients.

Additionally, I am an American, so the vast majority of this will be coming from an understanding of the American healthcare system (even with all of its flaws). I will try to incorporate information about other healthcare systems where I can, and if I don't feel I can do so adequately, I will include links to resources better suited where appropriate.

Finally, please—and I cannot stress this enough—do not ask me for personal medical advice. I legally cannot give you medical advice unless I am your physician, which I am not. I can, however, help you with medical issues in your roleplay's and the like—and not as some thinly-veiled attempt to talk about your health issues. Don't take that as me not caring about those issues, though—I care very deeply, but I also want you to get adequate care which I cannot give you through a roleplay forum.


AUTHOR'S WARNING

I will not, under any circumstances, entertain anti-vaccination arguments. They have been proven under multiple rigorous, peer-reviewed studies to be effective and safe. More importantly, to treat people with autism as if their existence is worse than a pandemic is regressive and shameful. I will not address this again.

RESOURCES

  • the Mayo Clinic Patient Care & Health Information
    • You can search diseases/conditions, symptoms, tests, procedures, & drugs and supplements by their first letter for easy-to-read information on the selected topic
  • MedlinePlus
    • US National Library of Medicine-funded resource for patients including an extensive medical encyclopedia
  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention
    • Everything you could possibly want to know about current epidemiological issues, public health guidelines, and other common diseases & conditions
  • Drugs.com
    • You can search for medications by name or by symptom, including dosage and side effect information
  • WebMD Symptom Checker
    • Insert a set of symptoms that you would like your character to have, and, from that, you can narrow down a list of potential ailments for which you can choose to look into for a plot device
 
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nova's anatomy: chapter one
GENERAL ANATOMY & TERMINOLOGY

In this section, I am going to cover some of the most basic portions of human anatomy. Now, this is a super abbreviated version as the entirety of our anatomy is massive. It's incredibly broad of a subject that it takes an entire semester's worth of credits (20 credit hours) for my medical school to cover it entirely. Even then, there are still portions that aren't totally delved into at the depth that some specialties will go. That all being said, I cannot go that depth for you guys and—not to lie—might be a pretty dry read anyway.

In addition, here is a diagram of anatomical directions that are used to locate certain parts of the anatomy in relation to one another. I will use these terms throughout this section in order to clarify what the term I'm explaining specifically refers to.


anatomical-directions-gif.187379

ANATOMICAL ADJECTIVES

anatomical-adjectives-jpg.187378

frontal: the forehead
cranial: the head (the top & back of the head, not including the face)
ocular: the eyes
buccal: the cheeks
auricular: the external portion of the ear
nasal: the nose (generally the outer portions)
facial: the face
oral: the inner portions of the mouth (not the lips)
labial: the lips
mental: the chin
mandibular: the jaw
cephalic: the entirety of the head
cervical: the neck
acromial: the shoulder
thoracic: the entirety of the chest
sternal: the central portion of the chest
spinal/vertebral: the spine or most central region of the back
pectoral: the breast or pectoral muscle (applies to both males & females)
axillary: the armpit or underarm
brachial: the arm (portion of arm most proximal to the shoulder)
antecubital: the bend of the elbow facing anteriorly)
olecranal/cubital: the elbow (the posterior portion)
antebrachial: the forearm (portion of arm most distal to the shoulder)
abdominal: the abdomen
lumbar: the central lower portion of the back
umbilical: the navel or bellybutton
coxal: the hip
pelvic: region of the abdomen directly below the navel
carpal: the wrist
metacarpal: the palm &/or back of the hand
palmar: the palm
digital/phalangeal: the fingers or toes (usually specific "of the hand/foot")
manual: the entirety of the hand
sacral: central portion of lower back more inferior to the lumbar region (generally forms dimples in the low back)
inguinal: the region on top of the pubic bone, directly above the genitals
pubic: the genitals
gluteal: the buttocks
femoral: the thigh (front & back)
patellar: the knee (particularly the front & the kneecap)
popliteal: (the backbend of the knee on the posterior portion of the leg)
crural: the shin
sural: the "calf"
tarsal: the ankle (generally a bit lower & not the "traditional" ankle)
calcaneal: the heel of the foot
metatarsal: the top of the foot except for the toes
plantar: the bottom of the foot


the SKELETON
skeleton-diagram-jpg.187380


there are a total of 206 bones, most of which are paired bilaterally. the smallest bones in the human body are those which make up the middle ear.
cranium: a series of 22 bones joined together with sutures (bony, relatively immovable joints); there are 8 cranial bones & 14 facial bones that make up the eye sockets, nose, cheeks, and the upper portion of the jaw. there are also considerable foramina (openings/holes which allow the passage of nerves & blood vessels) along with sinuses in several facial bones & one cranial bone.
mandible: the "jaw bone" which contains the inferior set of teeth (also bones, but a different structure) with foramina to allow the passage of nerves onto the anterior portion of the face for innervation of the chin, lips, and jaw.
vertebral column: a series of 33 bones (some of which are fused together) that support the upright nature of human stature and houses the spinal cord which is responsible for all sensation and movement of the body below the chin. there are 7 cervical vertebrae (singular: vertebra), 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral (fused) which articulates with the pelvis, and 3-5 of the coccyx (the tailbone). damage to the spine can occur in many ways from trauma to general wear-and-tear with varying degrees of damage from general daily discomfort to full-bowl quadriplegia or even death if the break is high on the cervical spine.
clavicle: the "collarbone" which articulates (forms a joint with) the scapula & humerus in order to form the shoulder. also articulates with the upper portion of the sternum (manubrium) to stabilize the bone. it is a relatively weak bone, and it can break easily in the instance of certain falls or other traumas.
scapula: the "shoulder blade" which articulates with the clavicle & humerus to form the shoulder. also acts as a major source of attachment for muscles of the shoulder and back.
sternum: the flat bone in the center of the chest that acts as a point of articulation for the anterior end of the ribs. the most superior portion (the manubrium) articulates with the clavicle and the most inferior portion (the xiphoid process) can be broken off the sternum to cause a great deal of pain and inflammation in the chest and diaphragm. the xiphoid process can also be broken due to incorrect administration of CPR (too low on the chest).
the ribs: 24 total bones (12 pairs) that form the ribcage and articulate with the sternum anteriorly and with the spine posteriorly. there are "true" ribs (ribs 1-7 that articulate directly with the sternum), "false" ribs (ribs 8-10 which attach to the cartilage of rib 7 before attaching to the sternum), and "floating" ribs (ribs 11 & 12 with no anterior attachment to the sternum). rib fractures are hard to outright detect (they don't image well in x-rays unless it's a massive fracture which is visible externally), and are hard to heal because they cannot be cast like other fractures. rib fractures will also lead to a great deal of discomfort when breathing as the ribs (and the numerous muscles attached to them) move during standard respiration.
humerus: the bone of the arm which articulates with the scapula and the clavicle in a ball-and-socket formation to form the shoulder. numerous muscles from the arm and shoulder attach here. also articulates with the radius and ulna to form the elbow.
radius: one of the two bones of the forearm which articulates along with the ulna with the humerus to form the elbow, & it articulates with the metacarpals to form the wrist. in anatomical position (palms facing anteriorly), the radius is on the thumb-side of the forearm (more lateral). bound together with the ulna via an interosseal membrane. serves, in combination with the ulna, as an attachment point for many muscles responsible for the movement of the elbow, wrist, and hand.
ulna: the other bone of the forearm which articulates along with the radius with the humerus to form the elbow, & it articulates with the metacarpals to form the wrist. in anatomical position, the ulna is on the pinky-side of the forearm (more medial). the most proximal end of the bone has the olecranon which forms the posterior point of the elbow which is most often hit when one "hits their funny bone."
carpals: the wrist formed by 8 small bones which articulate with one another & the bones of the forearm. a broken wrist is often not a break in or of the carpals, but of the distal ends of the radius or ulna or both in extreme situations. breaks such as these are known as F.O.O.S.H. injuries ("fall on outstretched hand")—tuck & roll, y'all.
metacarpals: series of 5 bones that form the palm of the hand and articulate with the carpals to form the wrist. muscles and ligaments that are responsible for the movement of the fingers. a "broken hand" consists of one or more break in the metacarpals—a very painful injury that often requires surgery to correct, depending on the severity.
manual phalanges: 4 digits and 1 pollex (the thumb). each digit consists of 3 bones which articulate with one another and (the most proximal) articulates with the metacarpals to form the knuckles of the hand. breaks here can be very painful & potentially dangerous as infection can pose risk of amputation if it progresses seriously enough.
pelvis: a large structure that supports the superior half of the human body by stabilizing the inferior portion of the spine as well as serving as a place for hip articulation. consists of the ileum (the most superior portion), the ischium (the most inferior portion), & the pubis (the most medial and anterior portion). all three bones come together at the acetabulum to provide an articulation surface with the head of the femur in a ball-and-socket formation for maximum range of movement. the pelvis provides one of the few areas in the body which show a marked difference in males and females with females having a wider, "flatter" pelvis to allow for childbirth while males have a more narrow and long pelvis as they don't have the same concerns of having to fit a baby's head through the pelvic cavity during childbirth.
femur: the bone of the thigh, and also the largest, longest, and strongest bone in the human body. it articulates with the acetabulum to form the hip. it serves as a major source of red bone marrow which produces new red blood cells that are responsible for carrying oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. breaks in the femur are dangerous as 1) they can sever the femoral artery which can lead the person to bleed out in a few short minutes and 2) infection can lead to potential amputation of the entire leg as well as issues with anemia related to inadequate RBC production. articulates with the tibia and fibula to form the knee.
patella: the "kneecap" which is not present at birth (it forms due to pressure on the area which begins when a child starts crawling). it is held in place by several ligaments and adds an additional surface for the femur to articulate with.
tibia: the "shinbone" which is the larger, weight-bearing bone of the leg which is especially important in the formation of the knee in articulation with the femur. breaks in this bone can make it impossible to bear weight on the leg, and they often occur after landing from a jump or a sharp twist of the leg. distal portion of the bone articulates with the fibula & tarsals to form the ankle.
fibula: the smaller, non-weight-bearing bone of the leg that forms the lateral portions of the ankle (the point prominence; "lateral malleolus"). what most traditionally consider their ankle is actually the most distal regions of the tibia & fibula and not the tarsals.
tarsals: 7 small bones in the posterior half of the foot that forms the heel and the distal articulating portions of the ankle. many ligaments and tendons attach here to allow for movement of the ankle and the foot. sprains and torn ligaments are most common here due to twisting or pulling actions of the foot in ways that these ligaments cannot handle.
metatarsals: similar to the metacarpals, a group of 5 bones in the middle portion of the foot that articulate with the phalanges and the tarsals. breaks here are often very painful and hard to fully stabilize without fully immobilizing the foot and ankle. stress fractures are also very common here.
pedal phalanges: 4 digits & 1 hallux (the big/great toe) which stabilize posture and help the body balance when standing. broken toes are painful af—what can i say?



the ORGANS
internal-organs-diagram-jpg.187509
the full function of organs takes quite a bit of time to cover, so this will only be a brief overview of the organ's function. also, it is incredibly important to remember that organs work in systems with other organs; they are all interdependent on one another & it is critical to remember that when talking about injuries/traumas, disorders, & diseases.

brain: generally considered to be the most complex organ of the human body which is also not fully understood. it controls all general movement of the body, consciousness, arousal, and acts as the sifter for all sensation detected by the body.
thyroid: endocrine gland located in the neck, below the adam's apple, which helps to regulate metabolism.
thymus: small organ superficial to the heart and deep to the sternum which contributes to the immune system and the maturation of specific white blood cells.
heart: debatably the most important organ in the human body which pumps blood throughout the body in order to send oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and remove waste & CO2 through diffusion with other tissues. it is composed of chambers and valves which are used to direct blood flow through the organ.
lungs:
liver:
gallbladder:
adrenal glands:
kidneys:
pancreas:
spleen:
stomach:
small intestine:
colon:
ureters:
urinary bladder:
female reproductive system:

ovaries:
fallopian tubes:
uterus:
cervix:
vagina:
outer genitals:
male reproductive system (*not complete—skipped over minor parts of the anatomy):
testicles:
penis:
erectile tissue:
prostate:
vas deferens:


the MUSCLES
major-muscle-groups-diagram-jpg.187506


there are over 650 muscles in the human body (some figures go up to 840), so i'm obviously not going to cover them all. these are the most important ones that should know. that being said, all muscles are important muscles (not to be that person, lol).

  • abduct: to move laterally out away from the body​
  • adduct: to move medially back toward the body​
  • circumduct: to move 360 degrees freely​
  • flex: to move anteriorly away from the body or bak towards it​
  • extend: to move posteriorly back towards or away from the body​
  • rotate: to turn w/ range of motion anywhere less than 360 degrees​
  • supinate: to turn toward the ventral (anatomical front) side​
  • pronate: to turn towards the dorsal (anatomical back) side​
  • dorsiflex: to raise the front of the foot (heel inferior to the toes)​
  • plantar flex: to point the foot (heel superior to the toes)​



trapezius:
deltoid:
pectoralis:
biceps:
triceps:
rectus abdominus:
obliques:
latissimus dorsi:
finger flexors:
finger extensors:
gluteus maximus:
quadriceps:
hamstrings:
gastrocnemius:
soleus:

GENERAL TERMINOLOGY

A • D
abrasion: wearing away of upper layers of the skin due to force or friction (a scrape, essentially)
-algia: relating to pain (ex: myalgia, or, muscle pain)
allopathic: describing treatment by conventional means
artery: blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart (w/ the exception of the pulmonary artery which carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation)
bacteria: a prokaryotic (i.e. less complex) single-celled organism that can cause disease, be beneficial, or have no effect
benign: refers to a condition, tumor, or growth which is not cancerous
BP: blood pressure (or, how forcefully blood is forced through the cardiovascular system related to the elasticity and diameter of arterial walls)
capillary: the smallest blood vessel that has both oxygenated & deoxygenated blood as they allow for oxygen and carbon dioxide to diffuse into the tissue from the capillary & back into the capillary (in the case of CO2)
cardi/o: relating to the heart (ex: cardiogram, or, drawing of heart function)
CAT (or CT) scan: a computer-generated x-ray image that generates a 3D image of soft tissues, bones, or blood vessels
CC: chief complaint/concern (the patient's main reason for coming into the office or hospital)
contusion: a bruise (area of tissue damaged in a minor way, usually due to inordinately high amounts of pressure on an area)
cyt/o: relating to the cell (ex: cytotoxic, or, toxic to the cell)
D/C: "discontinue" (usually in regards to a medication or treatment that is no longer needed)
derm/o: relating to the skin (ex: dermatologist, or, doctor specializing in the skin)
disease: a pathophysiological response to internal or external factors (i.e. inflammation, bacteria)
disorder: disruption to regular body structure & function
DNR: "do no resuscitate"; legal documentation usually held by the elderly or terminally ill that states, on the event of their natural death, they do not wish to be "brought back" via external methods such as defibrillation or CPR
dx: "diagnosis"



E • I
edema: a condition characterized by an excess of watery fluid in the cavities or tissue of the body
-emia: conditions relating to blood (ex: anemia, or, a lack of healthy red blood cells)
encephal/o: relating to the brain or head (ex: encephalitis, or, inflammation of the brain)
endemic: the constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area
epidemic: an increase (often sudden) in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected of a population in a given area
ER/ED: "emergency room" or "emergency department" (the latter is more common in modern times)
fracture: a break in a bone (can generate two or more separate pieces or be a partial break)
fungus: a eukaryotic (more complex) organism (uni- or multicellular) that produces spores as a means of reproduction
gastr/o: relating to the stomach (ex: gastric ulcer, or, an ulcer of the stomach)
hemat/o: relating to blood (ex: hematuria, or, blood in the urine)
hematoma: a solid swelling of clotted blood in tissue (essentially, a more severe bruise)
HPI: "history of presenting illness" which is the details relating to the patient's chief complaint
iatrogenic: relating to an illness caused by medical examination or treatment (not uncommon w/ long hospital stays)
idiopathic: any disease or condition which arises spontaneously or for which the cause is unknown
inflammation: a localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection
intestin/o: relating to the intestines (ex: intestinopathy, or, a disease or disorder of the intestines)
-itis: relating to inflammation (ex: dermatitis, or, inflammation fo the skin)



J • Q
lesion: any damage or abnormal change in the tissue of an organism, usually caused by disease or trauma
leuk/o: relating to white blood cells (ex: leukemia, or, an abnormal amount of WBCs in the blood)
-lysis: relating to decomposition, dissolution, destruction, loosening, breaking down, separation, or disintegration (ex: proteolysis, or, the breakdown of proteins)
malignant: refers the presence of cancerous cells that have the ability to spread to other sites in the body
MRI: "magnetic resonance imaging"; diagnostic imaging used to generally visualize the soft tissues of the body to look for abnormalities
my/o: relating to muscle (ex: myalgia, or, muscle pain)
nas/o: relating to the nose (ex: nasogastric tube, or, a tube used for feeding that goes from the nose down to the stomach)
neur/o: relating to the brain or the nerves (ex: neurodegeneration, or, the breakdown of the brain &/or nerves of the body)
NPO: "nil per os" or "nothing by mouth"; medical instructions often used which dictates no eating or drinking, often before a surgical procedure or a lab draw
ocul/o: relating to the eyes (ex: oculomotor nerve, or, the nerve which controls the muscles of the eyes)
organ: a group of tissues which work cooperatively together for a single purpose in order to complete some physiological function which is often dictated by its anatomy
or/o: relating to the mouth (ex: oropharynx, or, the portion of the pharynx that lies between the soft palate & hyoid bone)
-osis: a condition, usually abnormal (ex: diverticulosis, or, a condition where the diverticula of the colon form pockets which can entrap ingested material)
osteopathic: describing treatment that focuses on the idea that disease is rooted in the loss of structural integrity of the body (chiefly issues of the bones, muscles, and joints)
OT: "occupational therapy"; a form of therapy that's goal is to teach adaptation to specific issues such as decreased mobility or partial paralysis
ot/o: relating to the ear (ex: otoscope, or, a medical device used to look at the external auditory canal)
outbreak: carries the same definition of epidemic, but is often used for a more limited geographic area (ex: used for a city or neighborhood versus a county)
pandemic: an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people
parasite: an organism that lives within another organism at the expense (or, to the harm of) the organism it lives within; used specifically for eukaryotic organisms & not bacteria or viruses
pathogen: a biological agent (such as a bacteria, virus, or flea) that causes disease or illness to its host
PET scan: "positron emission tomography scan"; diagnostic imaging used to visualize the function & anatomy of soft tissues of the body
-pnea: relating to breathing (ex: apnea, or, the inability to or lack of breathing)
PRN: "pro re nata" or "as needed"; medical instructions often used for specific treatments such as medication or specific exercises
PT: "physical therapy"; a form of therapy that's goal is to help the subject regain proper, correct mobility to an affected area, often after surgery or trauma
pulm/o: relating to the lungs (ex: pulmonology, or, the study of the lungs)



R • Z
rhin/o: relating to the nose (ex: rhinorrhea, or, a runny nose)
rx: "prescription"
subcutaneous: below the skin
sx: "symptoms"
syndrome: a set of medical signs and symptoms and collection of diseases which are not correlated with each other and often associated with a particular disease or disorder
tissue
tx: "treatment"
vein: blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart (w/ the exception of the pulmonary vein which carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart for distribution through the body)
virus: a microorganism that is smaller than a bacterium that cannot grow or reproduce apart from a living cell
x-ray: a diagnostic imaging tool that is used to visualize solid structures of the body such as bones or stones in the kidneys or gallbladder


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nova's anatomy: chapter two
COMMON AILMENTS & INJURIES

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nova's anatomy: chapter three
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

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nova's anatomy: chapter four
THE HOSPITAL & ITS HISTORY

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nova's anatomy: chapter five
HISTORICAL IMPACT OF DISEASE

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nova's anatomy: chapter six
INTEGRATION OF FACT INTO FICTION

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