compensation /kom′pənsā″shən/ [L, compensare, to balance] , 1. the process of counterbalancing any defect in body structure or function. 2. the process of maintaining an adequate blood flow through such cardiac and circulatory mechanisms as tachycardia, fluid retention with increased venous return, and ventricular hypertrophy. Lack of compensation indicates a diseased heart muscle. See also compensated heart failure. 3. a complex defense mechanism that allows one to avoid the unpleasant or painful emotional stimuli that result from a feeling of inferiority or inadequacy. Examples include making an extraordinary effort to overcome a disability, scorning a quality that one lacks (“sour grapes”), and substituting hard work and excellent performance in one field for a lack of ability in another. 4. changes in structural relationships that accommodate foundation disturbances and maintain balance. See also overcompensation.
