multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Glossary

Glossary - Pa - Ph

• palpitation - a rapid pulsation; especially abnormally rapid beating of the heart when excited by violent exertion, strong emotion, or disease
• pancreatitis - inflammation of the pancreas
• papilledema - swelling of the optic disc (where the optic nerve enters the eyeball); usually associated with an increase in intraocular pressure
• paralysis - loss of the ability to move muscles or muscle groups; usually associated with serious neurological conditions or mechanical injury
• paranoid reaction - acute paranoid state often in response to external stimuli or the effects of drugs
• parosmia - distortion in the sense of smell; often with the presence of phantom, usually unpleasant, smells
• pericardial effusion - build up of fluid within the pericardial sac (the sac which lines the heart and large valves)
• periodontal abscess - localized, pus-forming inflammation of the tissue surrounding the teeth
• peritonitis - inflammation of the peritoneum (membrane that lines the walls of the abdominal cavity)
• petechia - small red or purple spots on the surface of the skin or mucous membranes as the result of tiny hemorrhages of blood vessels
• photophobia - abnormal intolerance to light; often with pain in the eyes when exposed to bright lights
• photosensitivity - increase in the reactivity of the skin to sunlight