Pathology · Nervous System · Medium
Myelopathy
Meaning: Dysfunction of the spinal cord, often from compression.
In practice: Cervical spondylosis may cause clumsy hands, brisk reflexes and an unsteady gait.
Word parts
- myel- means spinal cord or bone marrow
- -pathy means disease or disorder
Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.
Quick check
Two questions on related pathology words.
Which word means: The body's protective response to injury or infection, causing redness and swelling.
Answer: Inflammation
Which word means: A wasting away or reduction in size of tissue or organ.
Answer: Atrophy
Words like myelopathy come up in the daily game
One medical word a day, then a quick three-question quiz. Free on iPhone, or play in your browser on Android and computer.