MEDICAL TREATMENT

Vocabulary

Onset = beginning or start;

Antalgic = relieving pain
Strep throat =a bacterial infection that can make your throat feel sore and scratchy.
Tracing = a faint or delicate mark or pattern.
Rush into = to accelerate
Scrub up = to wash hands and forearms thoroughly before surgery
Drain = a tube which carries liquid away from your body
Swab = a small piece of cotton used to clean an injury

Medical treatment means the management and care of a patient to combat disease or

disorder. Medical treatment includes:

 using prescription medications, or use of a non-prescription drug at prescription strength;

 using wound closing devices such as surgical glue, sutures and staples;
 using any devices with rigid stays or other systems designed to immobilize parts of the body;
 administration of oxygen to treat injury or illness.

Theoretically, there are three classifications of medical treatment:

 curative – to cure a patient of an illness;
 palliative – to relieve symptoms from an illness;
 preventative – to avoid the onset of an illness.
The doctor can also recommend an etymology treatment, like antibiotics to treat strep
throat, for example. To relieve pain in this case, the treatment can be accompanied by a
symptomatic treatment like an antalgic.
Treatments prescribed by doctors can be classified using one or several of the following
methods: medical, surgical, or medico techniques. A medical treatment generally prescribes
diet and lifestyle measures, like changing certain habits, as well as medication intake, whether
injectable or not. Physical therapy, speech therapy, psychiatry, and physiotherapy are equally
part of medical treatments. For certain illnesses, it is necessary to resort to surgical treatment.
Certain examinations are situated between traditional treatments and surgery, such as, radiology,
endoscopy and phototherapy.
Surgery is a branch of medicine concerned with treating diseases and injuries by means of
operative intervention, which means a surgeon operates on a patient in order to treat an injury,
improve the functions of the body or the patient's appearance.
The word 'surgery' originally comes from Greek, in which language it means 'hand work'.
This is actually a very adequate name, as a lot of procedures are performed in an operating room
manually, with the use of modern tools and medical devices.
Let's have a look at some of the common types of surgeries, circumstances when surgeries
are necessary, the professionals involved in them and the equipment used. When there has been a
traffic accident and an injured person is brought to the hospital's A&E
department, emergency surgery might be required, i.e. one which has not been planned and
arranged by the hospital's staff. The patient is usually rushed into the operating room where
doctors perform the surgery.
Before doctors begin the operation, they have to scrub up and make sure that the tools &
equipment used are sterile. If necessary, drains are placed to remove blood from wounds. After
the surgery has finished, a suture is applied to hold tissues and skin together and the patient is
taken to the recovery room where his or her health is monitored.
Most kinds surgery are known as reconstructive surgery, because by means of
an operation, surgeons attempt to restore the anatomy, function or appearance of the body. For
instance, the aim of the work of an orthopedic surgeon is to restore the functions of injured
bones or muscles, whereas of a vascular surgeon is to treat the conditions of arteries and
veins. Neurosurgery, on the other hand, involves those surgical procedures that are carried out
in order to treat the disorders affecting constituents of a human nervous system, for example the
brain, spinal cord or nerves.
The saying 'fine feathers make fine birds' is taking on significance nowadays and the way we
look is at least as important as what we say or do, so cosmetic surgery is becoming more and
more popular. People decide to undergo this type of surgery if they want the appearance of a
particular body part, e.g. the nose, ear or breast, to be improved. This type of surgery is always
planned, so there is some prepping to be done before, for example arranging time off work for
the operation and recovery. In most cases local anesthesia is used before the operation.
An anesthesiologist will administer a drug to suppress the feeling of pain. As the drug is
normally liquid, this may be done using a syringe. Firstly the physician disinfects the patients'
skin with an alcohol swab, then aspirates the necessary amount of the liquid and injects it into
the body part which the surgeon will operate on.
So far we have classified surgery types according to the function. However, they can also
be classified on the basis of the way an operation is carried out. Keyhole surgery, for example,
which is also called laparoscopic surgery, is a modern technique in which operations are
performed through small incisions. To magnify the surgical elements and provide aid during the
operation, images from inside the body are displayed on monitor screens. On the other hand, its
opposite - laparotomy - involves making a large incision through the abdominal wall.
 Because of dynamic technological development, surgery - perceived as a branch of
medicine - is constantly developing. Surgeons use more and more advanced equipment and what
was once thought to be impossible, nowadays can be done. To stay up to date, browse
professional journals, read explanatory articles and watch documentaries, both on TV and
online.

READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

I. Answer true/ false on the following statements: True False

1. There are four types of medical treatment.

2. Speech therapy isn’t a way of treatment.
3. Every effective neurosurgery will require the presence of an
anesthesiologist.
4. Cosmetic surgery should always be done by an aspirated vascular
surgeon.
5.  Even in an emergency, all personal involved has to scrub up and all
equipment has to be sterile.

II. Complete the sentences:

1. Medical treatment represents _____________________________________.

2. The classifications of medical treatment are ___________________________________.
3. Radiology and endoscopy are ________________________________.
4. Surgery can be defined as __________________________________________.
5. There are different types of surgery: ____________________________________.

III. Match:

1. One of the goals of therapy is a. are prescribed as medical treatment.

2.  Psychotherapy is
3. Diet and lifestyle measures
4. Emergency surgery involves
5. An anesthesiologist
b. resuscitation and stabilization of the patient by a
patient management team, preparing the patient
for surgery, and post-operative and recovery
procedures.
c. to help a person stop repeating and reenacting
destructive patterns and to start looking for better
solutions to difficult situations. 
d. is a doctor who practices anesthesia. 
e. psychological treatment that employs various
 methods to help someone overcome personal
problems

IV. Identify the types of treatment in the following picture:

1. 2.

3. 4.
5. 6.

7.

V. Fill in the gaps with the coresponding word: symptoms, pain, assessment, care,
cornerstone, hospice, goals, life-sustaining.

Palliative care for older adults differs from the traditional ____________ model in that it
is offered simultaneously with __________ treatments. It consists of managing _______ and
other symptoms, clarifying goals of ________, and ensuring continuity across systems of
care. Pain management in palliative care involves clear __________and then establishing a
regimen that meets the patient's overall pain needs. Treating non-pain ________ such as
nausea, dyspnea, depression, and anxiety is a ________ of palliative care, and this treatment
is best served by having a clear understanding of the underlying pathology. When
communicating bad news or having conversations to negotiate ________ of care, it is
important to have a method of approach for these often difficult conversations.