I have had to ask myself, do patients know what different medical terms mean?  In writing these blog posts, I have come to realize that there are many terms that the lay public may not be familiar with that I use to describe various illnesses.  This posting will just be a listing of some commonly used terms and what they may mean to the public.  I hope this furthers the understanding of some of my articles.  Since medical talk is essentially a complete language unto itself, this by no means an exhaustive list.  This is just a sampling of some of the more common terms you will hear in med speak.