Category: T

An antibiotic; one of the aminoglycosides. Tobramycin (TOBI) is administered by inhalation to treat cystic fibrosis. As eye drops, tobramycin (Tobrex) is used to treat bacterial infections of the eye. In the hospital, the drug is sometimes given intravenously to treat serious and life threatening infections. An aminoglycoside antibiotic used to treat serious infections such…

The use of certain minerals thought to promote health by correcting deficiencies at the cellular level. Tissue salts therapy, or the Schuessler biochemic system of medicine, was developed in the 1890s by a German doctor, scientist, and homeopath who identified 12 principal mineral salts he believed essential to health. In the Schuessler system, biochemic tissue…

An anticoagulant drug to prevent formation of blood clots in blood vessels. Tirofiban (Aggrastat) works by interfering with the process by which blood clots, chiefly by inhibiting the clumping of platelets. In combination with heparin, tirofiban is given as an injection both before and after open heart surgery to prevent the formation of clots in…

A diagnostic test in a doctor’s physical examination involving the tapping of the skin over an injured area to elicit a tingling sensation from a nerve. The Tinel sign may be used by a physician as part of the procedure for diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome. In this case, the skin of the wrist is tapped…

A drug used to reduce the risk of stroke. Ticlopidine hydrochloride (Ticlid) is given to people known to be at risk for stroke, such as a person who has already had one. Ticlopidine prevents specific cells in the body (platelets) from clumping together to start forming a blood clot that could block blood flow to…

The association of ticks as vectors of infection with the illnesses they may cause. Ticks are not technically insects, but are in the arachnid group, which also includes mites, spiders, and scorpions. Each tick has a single segment body and harpoon-like barbs on its mouth that enable it to attach to a person for feeding…

An ancient system of medical practice that emphasizes the interdependence of mind, body, and vitality for mental and physical health. In Tibetan medicine, diagnosis involves listening to the person and examining his or her pulse, urine, and tongue —called the “three humors.” Methods of therapy include diet, lifestyle modification, herbal medicine, and moxibustion. Tibetan medicine…

The result of the mind’s cognitive or intellectual processes. In psychiatry, thoughts are distinguished from emotions or feelings, although the two areas are often connected. Thoughts can be key to the processes underlying certain emotional and mental disorders. Cognitive function refers to the intricate mental process that empowers humans to engage in reasoning, establish judgments,…

A doctor specially trained to perform general thoracic surgery. General thoracic surgery concentrates on surgical treatments for lung cancer, emphysema, swallowing problems related to the esophagus, cancer of the esophagus, and gastroesophageal reflux.  

A new class of oral drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. They seem to work by decreasing the production of glucose by the liver and increasing the sensitivity of tissues to the presence of insulin. They restore the blood sugar level to normal without producing low blood sugar. Examples of this drug…