| Bacillus |
any
bacteria that is rod-shaped; responsible for diphtheria, dysentery,
tetanus, and tuberculosis, as well as other diseases |
| Bacteremia |
a
condition in which bacteria are present in the bloodstream;
may occur after minor surgery or infection and may be dangerous
for people with a weakened immune system or abnormal heart
valves |
| Bacteriostatic |
term
used to describe a substance that stops the growth of bacteria
(such as an antibiotic) |
| Bacterium |
a
tiny, single-celled microorganism, commonly known as a germ;
some bacteria, called pathogens, cause disease |
| Bacteriuria |
bacteria
in the urine; large amounts can indicate bladder, urethra,
or kidney infection |
| Ball-and-socket
joint |
a
joint consisting of a ball-shaped bone that fits into a cup-shaped
bone, making the joint free to rotate; examples include the
hip and shoulder |
| Balloon
angioplasty |
a
technique that uses a balloon catheter to open arteries clogged
with fatty deposits |
| Balloon
catheter |
a
hollow tube with a small, inflatable balloon at the tip; used
to open a narrowed artery or organ that has become blocked
|
| Barbiturates |
a
group of sedatives that reduce activity in the brain; are
habit-forming and are possibly fatal when taken with alcohol |
| Barium
enema |
a
technique in which barium is placed into the large intestine
and rectum and then X-rays are taken to check for possible
disorders of these organs |
| Barrier
method of contraception |
a
birth-control technique using a condom, diaphragm, or another
similar device to block the path of sperm to an egg |
| Bartholin's
glands |
two
pea-sized glands that, when sexually aroused, release a fluid
that lubricates the vagina |
| Basal
cell carcinoma |
a
type of skin cancer that is caused by exposure to large amounts
of sunlight; commonly found on the neck, face, and arms |
| Basal
metabolic rate |
the
lowest rate at which a person can possibly use energy and
remain alive; at this rate, only absolutely necessary functions
such as breathing are maintained |
| B
cell |
a
white blood cell that makes antibodies to fight infections
caused by foreign proteins |
| BCG
vaccine |
a
vaccine used to protect against tuberculosis |
| Becker's
muscular dystrophy |
a
hereditary disease in which the muscles weaken and waste away;
similar to Duchenne muscular dystrophy but starts later in
life and advances more slowly |
| Bell's
palsy |
another
name for facial palsy, the usually one-sided, temporary numbing
of the facial muscles, caused by an inflamed nerve |
| Bends |
see
Decompression sickness |
| Benign
tumor |
a
tumor that is not cancerous, which means it does not spread
through the body, but may grow and become dangerous |
| Beta
blocker |
a
type of drug used to treat high blood pressure and heart disorders
by reducing the strength and rate of the pumping by the heart
|
| Beta
carotene |
a
pigment found in orange vegetables and fruits, which the body
converts to vitamin A; possibly protects against cancer |
| Bifocal |
a
lens that corrects both near and distant vision by having
two parts with different focusing strengths |
| Bilateral |
a
term describing a condition that affects both sides of the
body or two paired organs, such as bilateral deafness (deafness
in both ears) |
| Bile |
a
yellow-green liquid produced in the liver whose function is
to remove waste from the liver and break down fats as food
is digested |
| Bile
duct |
a
tube that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder and
then to the small intestine |
| Biliary
atresia |
a
birth defect in which the bile ducts are not completely developed;
often a liver transplant is necessary |
| Biliary
colic |
a
severe pain in the upper right section of the abdomen, usually
caused by a gallstone passing out of the bladder or through
the bile ducts |
| Biliary
tract |
the
system of organs and ducts through which bile is made and
transported from the liver to the small intestine |
| Bilirubin |
the
orange-yellow pigment in bile, causing jaundice if it builds
up in the blood and skin; the levels of bilirubin in the blood
are used to diagnose liver disease |
| Binging
and purging |
behavior
characteristic of the disorder bulimia in which a person overeats
then rids themselves of the food before it can be absorbed
by the body, either by forced vomiting or through the use
of laxatives |
| Biochemistry |
the
science that studies the chemistry of living organisms, including
humans |
| Bioequivalent |
a
drug that has the same effect on the body as another drug
|
| Biofeedback |
a
technique used to gain control over a function that is normally
automatic (such as blood pressure or pulse rate); the function
is monitored and relaxation techniques are used to change
it to a desired level |
| Bipolar
disorder |
an
illness in which the patient goes back and forth between opposite
extremes; the most notable bipolar disorder is manic-depressive
disorder, which is characterized by extreme highs and lows
in mood |
| Birth
canal |
the
passage that includes the uterus and vagina through which
the baby passes at birth |
| Birth
control |
the
regulation of the number of children born, referring either
to the prevention of pregnancy (by birth control pill, sterilization,
etc) or the prevention of birth (by abortion, etc) |
| Birth
defect |
an
abnormality that is present when a baby is born |
| Birthmark |
any
area of discolored skin that is present when a baby is born
|
| Bisexuality |
sexual
interest in members of both sexes |
| Bladder |
an
organ located in the pelvis whose function is to collect and
store urine until it is expelled |
| Blepharitis |
inflammation
of the eyelids |
| Blind
spot |
a
spot in the field of vision that is not sensitive to light;
it is a product of the entrance of the optic nerve into the
eyeball, where no light receptors are present on the retina
|
| Blood-brain
barrier |
a
layer of tightly bound cells that prevents certain substances
carried in the bloodstream from entering the brain |
| Blood
clot |
a
semisolid mass of blood that forms to help seal and prevent
bleeding from a damaged vessel |
| Blood
poisoning |
see
Septicemia |
| Blood
pressure |
the
tension in the main arteries that is created by the beating
of the heart and the resistance to flow and elasticity of
the blood vessels |
| Blood
transfusion |
the
transfer of blood or any of its parts to a person who has
lost blood due to an injury, disease, or operation |
| Blood
type |
a
category used to describe a person's blood according to the
kinds of proteins present on the surface of the red blood
cells |
| B
lymphocyte |
a
type of white blood cell that makes antibodies and is an important
part of the immune response |
| Boil |
an
inflamed, raised area of skin that is pus-filled; usually
an infected hair follicle |
| Bone
marrow |
the
fatty yellow or red tissue inside bones that is responsible
for producing blood cells |
| Bone
marrow transplant |
a
surgical procedure in which defective or cancerous bone marrow
is replaced with healthy marrow, either from the patient or
a donor |
| Bone
spur |
an
abnormal growth of bone out of another bone, often located
on the heel and usually painful |
| Booster |
an
additional dose of a vaccine taken after the first dose to
maintain or renew the first one |
| Botulism |
poisoning
from poorly preserved food contaminated with a dangerous bacterial
toxin that results in paralysis |
| Bowel |
see
Intestine |
| Bradycardia |
a
slow heart rate, usually below 60 beats per minute in adults |
| Brain
damage |
permanent
death or damage of brain cells resulting in decreased mental
ability |
| Brain
death |
the
condition in which the brain stops functioning while the heart
continues to beat |
| Breech
birth |
childbirth
in which the baby is turned around in the uterus and emerges
head-last instead of head-first |
| Bronchiolitis |
an
infection caused by a virus in the bronchioles (the smallest
airways in the lungs), mainly affecting young children |
| Bronchitis |
inflammation
of the bronchial tubes, which connect the trachea to the lungs
|
| Bronchoconstrictor |
a
substance that causes the lung airways to tighten up and become
more narrow |
| Bronchodilator |
a
drug that widens the airways in the lungs to improve breathing;
works by relieving muscle contraction or buildup of mucus |
| Bronchospasm |
the
temporary narrowing of the airways in the lungs, either as
a result of muscle contraction or inflammation; may be caused
by asthma, infection, lung disease, or an allergic reaction |
| Bruise |
see
Contusion |
| Bruxism |
an
unaware clenching or grinding of the teeth, usually during
sleep |
| Bubonic
plague |
a
form of plague in which lymph nodes in the groin and armpit
swell |
| Bulimia |
a
disorder in which a person eats large amounts of food then
forces vomiting or uses laxatives to prevent weight gain (called
binging and purging) |
| Bunion |
a
hard, fluid-filled pad along the inside joint of the big toe;
may be caused by wearing high-heeled shoes or a genetically
weak joint |
| Burkitt's
lymphoma |
a
cancer of lymph tissue that most frequently occurs in the
abdomen, the ovaries, and the bones of the face; it is associated
with malaria |
| Bursa |
a
fluid-filled sac that cushions and reduces friction in certain
parts of the body |
| Bursitis |
inflammation
of a bursa due to excessive pressure or friction, or from
injury |
| Butterfly
bandage |
a
butterfly-shaped bandage that can help close a minor cut for
proper healing |
| Bypass |
a
surgical technique in which the flow of blood or another body
fluid is redirected around a blockage |
