antipruritic

Hello.:-D

One of my students is going to Canada to study English. (She is going to stay with a local family there.)
She needs to complete a form, which is about her allergies and medications she takes.

She wrote (in the medication section):

AT-P25 (antipruritic)

Is 'antipruritic' understandable to ordinary people?
Is it used in everyday lives?

Thank you.

Only by those who need to use an antipruritic for itching.

I agree. I think your friend should write "anti-itch" tablet/cream, or whatever AT-P25 is.
It's odd that they should have kept the experimental lab name rather than calling it ItchOff or something.

Thank you, Rover.:-D

I'm sure doctors/people who use it will know what it is.
She is going to stay with a local family, and I'm wondering if they will understand it when emergency arises.

I am not a teacher.

I wouldn't think it readily understandable by the man in the street unless he has ever been prescribed them.

It is perfect for the form she is filling out, though.

Raymott said:

I agree. I think your friend should write "anti-itch" tablet/cream, or whatever AT-P25 is.
It's odd that they should have kept the experimental lab name rather than calling it ItchOff or something.

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Thank you, Raymott.:-D
I think I will follow your advice and tell her about it.
(She's my student, by the way.:-D)

tzfujimino said:

She is going to stay with a local family, and I'm wondering if they will understand it when emergency arises.

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Whilst pruritis can be a distressing affliction, I'd say it rarely needs emergency treatment.

It will be understandable to anyone who knows what "pruritis" is. If they don't, they won't be able to work out the meaning from the word "antipruritic".

Rover_KE said:

Whilst pruritis can be a distressing affliction, I'd say it rarely needs emergency treatment.

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But it might be an indicator of more serious allergies that might require emergency treatment.

tzfujimino said:

Thank you, Rover.:-D

I'm sure doctors/people who use it will know what it is.
She is going to stay with a local family, and I'm wondering if they will understand it when emergency arises.

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I don't know the word. I've never seen the word. It will not be understood by the common man on the street.

As a doc, I would advise to use familiar words and avoid medical terminologies. When I present a case to a consultant, my language is scientific but when I explain the case to the patient, I use common words/easy language. I won't use myocardial infarction, instead I would say heart attack.

SoothingDave said:

I don't know the word. I've never seen the word. It will not be understood by the common man on the street.

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The title of this thread was the first time for me. Apart from the prefix, I had no idea what it meant until I opened the thread. :up: