The Moon's a Balloon Trivia Quiz

Answer: Malingering

Malingering is a medical term for people who purposely fake or exaggerate sickness, hoping for a benefit. Maybe they want to stay home from school, avoid a responsibility, gain money or in Sanford's case, manipulate friends.

Munchausen Syndrome is a mental condition in which the patient builds an elaborate and dramatic story of an illness that doesn't exist, for psychological reasons, not looking for gain.

Answer: Edema

Edema is swelling in the tissues, causing "puffy" ankles, legs, abdomen, face or whatever. Even plants can get edema. Susan is a little overweight, and fast food does contain a lot of salt, which can make the problem worse. She should see her doctor, because although edema is usually nothing, it can be a sign that something is wrong. If everything checks out okay, Susan can wear special support stockings, and get up and move around several times a day, to reduce the puff.

Psoriasis is a skin condition, effusion is escape of fluid, and cumulus are puffy clouds.

Answer: Myoclonus

Myoclonus is the term. It's normal to have tiny twitches or "jerks" at night as you fall asleep, or the occasional face or hand tic, but myoclonus is spasms of frequent twitching. In Sam's case he had no other symptoms at all, so the jerking was a side effect of the anti-anxiety medicine. That "side effect" usually goes away when the medicine is stopped. "Myo" is a prefix meaning muscle. "Clonus" comes from the Greek meaning violent, confused motion.

In some cases myoclonus can signal epilepsy or another neurological disorder, so Sam was smart to talk to his physician.

Answer: Hematoma

Hematoma has a Greek root of "hemat", meaning blood. It means pooled blood under the skin, as in that stunning purple, blue, red and yellow skin Herman is wearing on his face. Ecchymosis (a bruise) is a hematoma larger than 10mm. A shiner or "black eye" is usually gone in a week or so. Unless Herman has bad headaches, bleeding eyes (hyphema) or a broken nose, he can head back to the "Shady Lady" anytime.

Answer: Crow's feet

"Laugh lines" or "crow's feet" at the sides of the eyes are called lateral canthal wrinkles. Canthal means at the side of the eyes where upper and lower eyelids meet. Freckles are ephilides, liver spots are lentigines, and beauty spots are dark, attractive moles.

Answer: Renal Calculi

Calculi are "stones", and those that develop in the kidneys are "renal". Blood in the urine and severe pain in the belly or groin are common symptoms. Pain comes on suddenly and fast, and Calvin may throw up. Most stones pass out of the body within 48 hours. In the meanwhile, the ER will provide some pain relief, and prescribe remedy according to the size of his calculi.

Cholecystitis is inflammation ("-itis") of the gallbladder, appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, and the cystic duct (tube) joins the gallbladder to the common bile duct.

Answer: Cephalgia

Cephalgia and encephalalgia both mean pain in the head. Tension and migraine are two common types of headaches. Epicondylitis is tennis elbow, stye is an infection of the glands at the base of the eyelashes, anapepsia refers to a problem with digestion.

Answer: Nearsighted

Nearsighted, halfsighted, shortsighted and myopic are all synonyms, meaning the person sees clearly at the near, but the far is blurry.

Myopia can also describe someone who is rash or unwary, or has a very narrow or opinionated perspective. Amblyopia is a "lazy" eye, farsighted people can see clearly only at a distance, and ptosis are drooping eyelids.

Answer: Dyspepsia

Dyspepsia is called "heart burn" because it is a burning pain in the chest and stomach. Indigestion can be calmed with over-the-counter remedies, though if it's bad enough to write a song about, Brian should see a doctor. GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a more serious and longstanding "heart burn". According to the medical dictionary, "the lower esophageal sphincter allows gastric acids to reflux into the esophagusa, allowing stomach acids to move up into the esophagus". Another words, stomach acid flows up into the food tube (gullet), and that not only hurts, it causes damage.

Brian Mcknight wrote, "Never Felt This Way": "How it takes my breath, Starts a burning in my chest, Make me weak, when I think about you, makes me want to give my all..." Oh. Sorry Brian, I thought you were talking about a medical problem.

Answer: Crepitus

"Cracking" and popping the knuckles is called crepitus. It rubs some people the wrong way. But according to many studies worldwide, crepitus does not injure the hands, nor does it lead to arthritis.

Some studies did conclude that manual laborers, heavier drinkers, smokers and people who bite their nails are the most frequent knuckle poppers. (Healthpsyche.psy.vanderbilt.edu, John Hopkins University, Castellanos et. al.). So no popping the joints, on a first date!