EMS Terminology Of The Week

Incarceritis: [in-kahr–suh-reyt-is]

– noun

1. medical condition induced by the threat of being confined.
2. a psychological state in which the sufferer, upon hearing the words, “You are under arrest,” experiences the sudden onset of chest pain, difficulty breathing, seizures, swine flu, avian flu, Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo, demonic possession, Jello allergy, unconsciousness, Legionnaire’s disease, or any one of a constellation of symptoms or maladies incompatible with penal confinement.

– use

“Although the patient complained of difficulty breathing, the fact that he was 17 years old, had no asthma history, and exhibited clear lung sounds and normal vital signs, coupled with the stench of alcohol and fear, led the medic to suspect that his problem was not reactive airway disease, but acute incarceritis.

– synonyms

jail fever, stainless steel allergy