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Similarly, -itis vs. -osis.

-itis means the part of the body is swollen, while -osis means the part of the body is damaged.

I found this out back in 2012, when I had a very nasty case of tendonitis in one of my feet, and I found out that the vast majority of cases of tendonitis should be called tendinosis instead, as it's pretty rare for the tendons themselves to swell; rather, the tendons themselves deteriorate from overuse.



-itis refers to a specific physiological phenomenon: Inflammation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflammation)

swelling can happen without inflammaion, and mild inflammation may occur without noticable swelling.

-osis is a generic suffix for a process or condition: metamorphosis, scoliosis, hypnosis.


> and mild inflammation may occur without noticable swelling.

Calor, dolor, rubor, tumor


They are not definition. Maybe they were, when we didn't know about cytokines and immune cells.


> -itis means the part of the body is swollen, while -osis means the part of the body is damaged

What if the part of the body is swollen and damaged?


-opathy would generally be suitable. It implied a pathological condition involving some form of tissue damage or dysfunction.

Minor clarification, swelling does not necessarily always mean inflammation. -itis refers to inflammation of an organ or area of the both. Swelling, particularly when from fluid retention, is referred to as -edema. There is overlap though. :)


So homeopathy is basically full body dysfunction?


I think it's actually about taking "medicine" that causes the same (the homeo part) dysfunction (the pathy part) as you're experiencing in the hopes of curing it.


No homeopathy is only used when there is a mental problem afflicting both the practitioner and patient.


> -itis means the part of the body is swollen, while -osis means the part of the body is damaged.

Does the suffix have any similar meaning outside of medicine? Like, osmosis?


-osis isn't a suffix at all; compare crisis, stasis, or paralysis.

-sis is just a noun-forming suffix.


Also, hyper- is more, hypo- is less.


Or even too much/high vs too little/low.


More accurate to say "hyper" is above, and "hypo" is below. So hypothermia is a temperature below [typical/safe levels]


itis -> infection.


itis = inflammation

Infection can cause an itis, but not all itis is due to infection. Such as inflammatory arthritis (noninfectious) vs septic arthritis (infectious).


Ah, close. Thanks, then.


senioritis?


In french we occasionally portmanteau -itis (often qualified with "acute" or "mild"), for a comedic yet genuinely emphatic effect. e.g: acute dumbitis/boreditis/tireditis


In Spanish too.


I've definitely seen high school seniors get a big head!




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