This document discusses medical terminology related to speech and sensation. It defines aphasia as an inability to communicate through speech due to brain damage, and notes the important language regions in the brain like Broca's and Wernicke's areas. Paresthesia is defined as a burning, tingling, or numb sensation. The document lists common causes of aphasia like stroke and head injury and causes of chronic paresthesia such as stroke, MS, and diabetes.

1. CHAPTER 12 SUFFIXES
Cynthia Gaughan

2. -PHASIA
Suffix pertaining to speech

3. APHASIA
• Inability to communicate through speech
• Due to damage of specific areas of the brain
• Languageinvolves almost the entire area of the association
cortex on the left side of the brain

4. IMPORTANT LANGUAGE
REGIONS
• Broca’s Area- If a lesion occurs in this area, a person can
understand language but has difficulty speaking. It can also
affect writing, typing, and sign language.
• Wernicke’s Area- If a lesion occurs here, a person is able to
speak, but in a nonsensical manner, sometimes known as
“word salad”. They have a difficulty comprehending language.

5. CAUSES OF APHASIA
• Stroke
• Head injury
• Brain tumor
• Infection
• Dementia

6. -ESTHESIA
Suffix pertaining to feeling or sensation

7. PARESTHESIA
• Burning, prickling, tingling, or numbness- “pins and needles”
• Temporary paresthesia occurs when sustained pressure is
placed on a nerve, such as when a person keeps his legs
crossed for too long- will fade when pressure is released
• Chronic paresthesia is a sign of neuron malfunction or nerve
damage

8. CAUSES OF CHRONIC
PARESTHESIA
• Stroke • Whiplash
• Transient ischemic attack • Hypothyroidism
(TIA)
• Fibromyalgia
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Tumor pressing against brain
• Lyme disease or spinal cord
• Diabetes