Glossary

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B

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

Barbiturates - a group of sedatives that reduce activity in the brain; are habit-forming and are possibly fatal when taken with alcohol

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

Bell's palsy - another name for facial palsy, the usually one-sided, temporary numbing of the facial muscles, caused by an inflamed nerve

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

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)

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

Bioequivalent - a drug that has the same effect on the body as another drug

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

Blood clot - a semisolid mass of blood that forms to help seal and prevent bleeding from a damaged vessel

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

Bowel - see Intestine

Bradycardia - a slow heart rate, usually below 60 beats per minute in adults

Breech birth - childbirth in which the baby is turned around in the uterus and emerges head-last instead of head-first

Bronchitis - inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which connect the trachea to the lungs

Bruise - see Contusion

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)

B

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