| Walleye |
a
condition in which one eye turns outward |
| Wart |
a
contagious, harmless growth caused by a virus that occurs
on the skin or a mucous membrane |
| Weber's
test |
a
test in which a vibrating tuning fork is held against the
forehead to help determine the cause of hearing loss |
| Wegener's
granulomatosis |
a
disorder in which nodules associated with inflammation of
blood vessels develop in the lungs, kidneys, and nasal passageways |
| Weight-bearing
exercise |
exercise
that puts stress on bones, such as walking, which helps build
up bone density and prevent the bones from becoming brittle |
| Wernicke's
encephalopathy |
a
brain disorder characterized by abnormal eye movements, difficulties
with muscle coordination, and confusion; usually the result
of chronic alcoholism |
| Wheeze |
a
high-pitched sound produced during breathing because of narrowing
of the airways; common sign of asthma |
| Whiplash
injury |
injury
to the ligaments, joints, and soft tissues of the neck region
of the spine because of a sudden, violent jerking motion of
the head |
| Whipple's
disease |
a
rare disorder that has widespread effects on the body, including
impaired absorption of nutrients, weight loss, joint pain,
and anemia |
| Whipworm |
a
small, parasitic worm that can live in the intestines of a
human and may cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and anemia |
| White
blood cell |
a
group of colorless blood cells that are part of the immune
system, helping prevent and fight infection |
| White
blood cell count |
the
number of white blood cells present in a blood sample; useful
in diagnosing and evaluating various diseases and infections |
| Whitehead |
a
painless, small, white bump; usually occurs in groups on the
nose, cheeks, or around the eyes |
| Whitlow |
an
abscess on the end of a finger or a toe that is caused by
the herpes simplex virus or a bacterial infection |
| Whooping
cough |
see
Pertussis |
| Wilm's
tumor |
a
type of kidney cancer that usually affects children under
the age of 5 |
| Wilson's
disease |
a
rare genetic disorder in which copper builds up in the liver
and is released into other parts of the body, eventually causing
damage to the liver and brain |
| Withdrawal
bleeding |
bleeding
from the vagina that occurs when hormone levels drop, such
as menstruation or the bleeding that occurs at the end of
each cycle of the combined oral contraceptive pill |
