Fluctuation
Fluctuation
Fluctuation (/flʌk.tʃuːˈeɪ.ʃən/) is a term used in various fields of study, including medicine, to describe a variation or irregularity in a state or condition.
Etymology
The term "fluctuation" originates from the Latin word "fluctuare", which means "to wave" or "to flow". It was first used in the English language in the 1600s to describe the act of moving in waves or undulating.
Medical Usage
In the field of medicine, fluctuation refers to the variation in the severity or frequency of a condition or symptom over time. It is often used to describe the changes in a patient's condition, such as the fluctuation of a patient's fever or blood pressure.
Fluctuation can also refer to a specific medical sign where a part of the body, often an area of inflammation or infection, yields a wave-like feel upon palpation. This is often indicative of the presence of fluid or pus in the tissue, such as in an abscess or cyst.
Related Terms
- Fever: A temporary increase in body temperature, often due to an illness.
- Blood Pressure: The pressure of the blood in the circulatory system.
- Inflammation: A localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection.
- Infection: The process of infecting or the state of being infected.
- Abscess: A swollen area within body tissue, containing an accumulation of pus.
- Cyst: A thin-walled hollow organ or cavity in the body containing fluid.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Fluctuation
- Wikipedia's article - Fluctuation
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