Alexander Technique - Allergen

Alexander technique

(al″ek-san′dĕr) [Frederick Matthias Alexander, Australian actor, 1869–1955] A form of bodily training that promotes postural health, esp. of the spine, head, and neck.

alexia

(ă-lek′sē-ă) [¹an- + Gr. lexis, word + -ia] A loss of the ability to understand written or printed words. alexic (ă-lek′sik), adj. SYN: visual aphasia; word blindness.

 motor a. Inability to read aloud while remaining able to understand what is written or printed.

 musical a. Inability to read music. It may be sensory, optic, or visual, but not motor.

 optic a. Inability to understand what is written or printed.

alexithymia

(ă-lek″sē-thī′mē-ă) [¹an- + Gr. lexis, word + -thymia] The inability to identify and articulate feelings, including those brought on by unpleasant mental or physical experiences. It is often found in patients with a history of child abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), drug abuse, and some somatoform disorders.

ALG

Antilymphocyte globulin

algae

(al′jē) [Pl. of L. alga, seaweed] Photosynthetic organisms of several phyla in the kingdom Protista. They are nonparasitic and lack roots, stems, or leaves. They contain chlorophyll and vary in size from microscopic forms to massive seaweeds. They live in fresh or salt water and in moist places. Some serve as a source of food or as nutritional supplements, e.g., kelp and Irish moss.

 blue-green a. Photosynthetic organisms in the kingdom Monera. Blooms may impart a disagreeable taste to freshwater and may cause the death of fish. SEE: Cyanobacteria.

-algia, -algesia

[Gr. algos, pain] Suffixes meaning pain. SEE: -dynia.

algicide

(al′jĭ-sīd″) [algae + -cide] A substance that kills algae. algicidal (al″jĭ-sīd′ăl), adj.

alginate

(al′jĭ-nāt″) Any salt of alginic acid. It is derived from kelp and is used as a thickener in foods and as a pharmaceutical aid. In dentistry it is used as a material for taking impressions.

alginate slime

A polysaccharide polymer that coats the surface of colonies of the bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The slime forms a matrix which anchors bacteria to their environment and protects them from host defenses such as antibodies, complement, lymphocytes, phagocytes, and respiratory cilia. Strains of P. aeruginosa that produce alginate slime (called mucoid strains) are frequently isolated from the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis.

algodystrophy

(al″gō-dis′trŏ-fē) [Gr. algos, pain + dystrophy] Reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

algolagnia

(al″gō-lag′nē-ă) [Gr. algos, pain + lagneia, lust] Sexual satisfaction derived by experiencing ...