- The suffix -taxia means muscular coordination and refers to a lack of coordination of muscle movements, such as in the condition of ataxia. Ataxia occurs when there is dysfunction in the parts of the nervous system that coordinate muscle movements, such as the cerebellum. - Ataxia can be caused by conditions that affect the brain like strokes, tumors, or multiple sclerosis. It affects the side of the body opposite the side of the brain that is affected. There is no cure for ataxia but physical therapy can help reduce disability. - The suffix -algesia means pain and sensitivity. Analgesia refers to the absence of pain, either accidentally or intentionally through analgesics to relieve

1. Suffixes used In Medical
Terminology
Created by Brooke Markward

2. -taxia
• The suffix -taxia means muscular coordination.

3. Ataxia
• When talking about -taxia and the nervous system,
ataxia comes to mind.
Ataxia is the lack of coordination of muscle
movements.
• Ataxia occurs when there is a dysfunction in parts of
the nervous system that coordinate muscle movements.
For example, the cerebellum.

4. Causes of Ataxia
• Ataxia can occur when a person has a stroke, brain
tumor, multiple sclerosis, etc.
• The part of body that is affected depends on the part
of the brain that was affected, for example if the left
side of the brain has the stroke, the right side of the
body will experience ataxia.

5. Causes of Ataxia
• Sensory ataxia means the person has a loss of sensitivity
to a joint and body part position.
• If there is damage to the nerves of the peripheral
nervous system, which consists of the cranial and spinal
nerves, then the person may have localized sensory
ataxia. There may only be one limb affected.

6. Treatment for Ataxia
• There is no specific treatment but there is physical
therapy available to help reduce the disability.
• The person may wear leg braces or shoe splints, or
could also use a cane or walker to help them to not fall.

7. -algesia
The suffix -algesia means pain and sensitivity.

8. Analgesia
• Analgesia is the absence of any pain or sensation.
• This could happen accidentally or on purpose and to
relieve pain.

9. Cause of Analgesia
• Normally when a person touches an object, nerves
fibers send that information to the spinal cord and to
the brain.
Analgesia happens when there is an interruption
between the brain and a sense organ.
• The interruption can occur when the nerve that
supplies that area is damaged.

10. Analgesia
• Pain and temperature sensations often travel through
the same nerve bundles so both of these sensations
could be lost together.
• Analgesia is not always a bad thing. Doctors use
analgesics to relieve a person from pain.