On Doctors 1

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I wish to cordially invite you to read this post when you are free. Don't allow obstructions, and eliminate all disturbances from the periphery.

Cardio - Heart

Cardiology, therefore, is study of the heart and its functions in health and disease. A doctor who deals with it is a Cardiologist.

Also, we call a heart-warming meeting as a cordial meeting. I wanted to give you a heartfelt invitation, which is why I began by saying "I 'cordially' invite you...."

If a heart stops suddenly, its a cardiac arrest. In fact even courage is also a derivative from Latin coraticum (heart) and from the later french word, Corage.

Gyn - woman

Pronounced 'Gyne' [as in wine], it means woman. So, a doctor who deals with women's ailments is a Gynecologist.

And since Childbirth belongs to the woman's domain, you would go to a Gynecologist for a check up if you are pregnant. [Ofcourse, I am addressing women, in this line! Not men!] However, the specialized doctor who actually delivers babies is an Obstetrician.

obstetricus - pertaining to a midwife

Midwife, we know, is the lady who stands opposite and helps a woman giving birth. 'Obstare' means to 'stand opposite to'. Infact the word 'Obstacle' came from this word. An obstacle is also something that 'obstructs' or hinders.

So, Obstetrics is the branch of medical science concerned with childbirth and caring for and treating women in or in connection with childbirth. And doctor who delivers babies is an Obstetrician.

dent/odontos - tooth

&

ortho - straight, correct

An Orthodontist straightens teeth. So, if one has big teeth or twisted teeth, and needs braces, or correction, its the orthodontist one must approach.

A dentist practices treating people with tooth problems, but odontologist studies.

Odontology is the scientific study of the teeth. And an Odontogolist is the one who studies teeth. Odontology is often used by forensic scientists to identify a victim by his or her teeth. Being that teeth are unique to specific person and often out last the body they can be considered individual evidence as well as class evidence.

peri - around

The border of a square/rectangle is called a perimeter. So, a Periodontist is a specialist in treating the sorroundings of the teeth. Which means gums. He is a dentist specializing in diseases of the gums and other structure surrounding the teeth.

A computer peripheral is a unit in the sorroundings of the computer - such as a printer, scanner or a webcam.

An Extra Bit

In Greek, Algos mean pain. So, in english, any word that ends with algia usually means pain.

• odontalgia (tooth pain or tooth ache)


• arthralgia (joint pain),


• cephalgia (headache),


• fibromyalgia, mastalgia (breast pain),


• myalgia (muscle pain),


• neuralgia (nerve pain).
  and


• Nostalgia is the pain of returning to the memories of the past (nostos means to return home)!!
  

Now, you would know the origins of the italicized words below.

I wish to cordially invite you to read this post when you are free. Don't allow obstructions, and eliminate disturbances from the periphery.

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