| tension | 1. The act of stretching. 2. The condition of being stretched or strained, the degree to which anything is stretched or strained. 3. <physics> Voltage. 4. <chemistry> The partial pressure of a gas in a fluid, for example, of oxygen in blood. Origin: L. Tensio, Gr. Tonos (13 Jan 1998) |
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| tension, arterial | The pressure of the blood within an artery, the arterial pressure. Also called the intra-arterial pressure. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tension curve | The direction of the trabeculae in cancellous bone tissue adapted to resist stress. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tension headache | <neurology> A benign form of headache that results from the painful spasm (muscle tightness) and inflammation of muscles of the head and neck. Tension headache is one of the most common forms of headache. Spasm and contraction of the head and neck muscles may occur in response to fatigue, overuse, eye strain, excessive smoking, stress, anxiety or depression. Sleeping in an abnormal position or prolonged work involving immobilisation of the neck in one position (typing, computers, etc.) are considered common triggers. Exercising and stretching the muscles of the head and neck can reduce the occurrence of muscle tension headaches. (13 Jan 1998) |
| tension, intraocular | The pressure within the eye. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tension, intravenous | The pressure of the blood within a vein, the venous pressure. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tension pneumothorax | A variety of spontaneous pneumothorax in which air enters the pleural cavity and is trapped during expiration; intrathoracic pressure builds to values higher than atmospheric pressure, compresses the lung, and may displace the mediastinum and its structures toward the opposite side, with consequent disadvantageous effects on blood flow. Synonym: pressure pneumothorax, valvular pneumothorax. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tension suture | <surgery> A heavy reinforcing suture placed deep within the muscles and fasciae of the abdominal wall to relieve tension on the primary suture line and thus obviate postoperative wound disruption. Synonym: tension suture. (05 Mar 2000) |
| low tension glaucoma | Optic nerve atrophy and excavation with typical field defects of glaucoma but without abnormal increase in intraocular pressure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adenoid tissue | A structure found within the lymphatic system that consists of lymphocytes within a network of fibres. (09 Oct 1997) |
| adipose tissue | <anatomy> Connective tissue that has been specialised to store fat. See: adipocyte. (25 Jun 1999) |
| aerenchymous tissue | A type of plant tissue in which cells are unusually large, resulting in large air spaces in the plant organ, such tissues are often referred to as spongy and usually provide increased buoyancy. (09 Oct 1997) |
| areolar tissue | Loose, irregularly arranged connective tissue that consists of collagenous and elastic fibres, a protein polysaccharide ground substance, and connective tissue cells (fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, and sometimes fat cells, plasma cells, leukocytes, and pigment cells). (05 Mar 2000) |
| bone tissue | A connective tissue, the matrix of which consists of collagen fibres and ground substance and in which are deposited calcium salts (phosphate, carbonate, and some fluoride) in the form of an apatite. Synonym: bone tissue. (05 Mar 2000) |
| border tissue movements | The action of the muscles and other tissues adjacent to the borders of a denture. (05 Mar 2000) |