So what can you do? If what you're hearing doesn't make sense, make sure to ask questions! You can also use the MedlinePlus website, MedlinePlus: Health Topics or MedlinePlus: Appendix A: Word Parts to find out more about meanings of the medical words.

Now let's look at a couple of tongue-twisting, big words.

• Colonoscopic polypectomy
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy

These next words sound alike and are similar in spelling, but one is high blood sugar and one is low blood sugar.

• Hyperglycemia
• Hypoglycemia

These next two words also sound alike, but one is a painful problem with your joints and the other is a disease that makes your bones weak.

• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis

What did the doctor just say? Did she say you needed a colonoscopic polypectomy? What on earth do those two words mean?

You need a what? Transesophageal echocardiogram! What is that?

Medical words can be long and confusing. Let's figure out what these words mean.