| Term |
Synonyms |
Definition |
| Wallenberg syndrome |
|
A complex of symptoms resulting from blockage of the
posterior inferior cerebellar artery, or one of its branches, supplying
the lower portion of the brainstem. |
| Walleye |
|
A condition in which one eye turns outward. |
| Wart |
|
Growth on the skin, produced by a virus; verruca. |
| Watermelon stomach |
|
Parallel red sores in the stomach that look like the
stripes on a watermelon. Frequently seen with cirrhosis. |
| Water soluble |
|
A substance that dissolves in water. |
| 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. |
| Wen |
|
Sebaceous cyst that develops in the skin, especially
the scalp. |
| Wernicke's encephalopathy |
|
A brain disorder characterized by abnormal eye movements,
difficulties with muscle coordination, and confusion; usually the result
of chronic alcoholism . |
| Wheezing |
|
Whistling sound produced during breathing. |
| Whiplash injury |
|
An 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. |
| White matter (of the brain) |
|
Parts of the brain, notably the cortex (shell) of the
cerebral hemispheres, composed of nerve cells "insulated" with
a coating of myelin. |
| Whitlow |
|
An abscess on the end of a finger or a toe that is caused
by the herpes simplex virus or a bacterial infection. |
| Whole body leucocyte scan |
|
Technique to identify areas of inflammation in the body:
a sample of blood is removed from a vein and the white blood cells tagged
with a radioactive isotope before being reinjected into the body; the body
is then scanned for areas of increased radioactivity. |
| Whooping cough |
|
See Pertussis |
| Whorl |
|
A circle of leaves around a node. |
| Wilm's tumor |
|
A type of kidney cancer that usually affects children
under the age of 5. |
| Wilson's disease |
|
An inherited disorder. Too much copper builds up in the
liver and is slowly released into other parts of the body. The overload
can cause severe liver and brain damage if not treated with medication. |
| Withdrawal |
|
The physical or psychological state experienced when
substances are withdrawn from an addicted person. |
| 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. |
Wolff-Parkinson-
White syndrome |
|
Condition in which there is an extra electrical pathway
between the atria and ventricles; a cause of episodic rapid heartbeat. |
| Womb |
|
The common term for uterus, a muscular organ inside which
the baby grows during pregnancy. |
