Confusing Medical Acronyms, Decoded

Joe KitaUpdated: Jul. 11, 2017

When dealing with doctors, don't be embarrassed to ask about abbreviations, especially if they involve a medication or procedure; they could have double meanings.

G.A.

General Anesthesia?

or

Ginger Ale?

G.C.

Gastric Cancer?

or

Good Condition?

H.D.

Heart Disease

or

Herniated Disk

H.T.

Hammertoe?

or

Head Trauma?

A.B.C.

Advanced Breast Cancer?

or

Applesauce/Bananas/Cereal diet?

B.P.

Bedpan?

or

Bypass?

C.R.

Cardiac Rehabilitation?

or

Colon Resection?

C.S.T.

Cardiac Stress Test?

or

Convulsive Shock Therapy?

I.M.

Ice Massage?

or

Infectious Mononucleosis?

L.B.

Left Breast?

or

Left Buttock?

L.L.D.

Late-Life Depression?

or

Leg-Length Differential?

M.S.

Milk Shake?

or

Morphine Sulfate?

R&R

Rest and Recuperation?

or

Remove and Replace?

Originally Published: April 19, 2012

Originally Published in Reader's Digest