A group of organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye, which are usually made up of just a single cell.
bacteria
bacteria folliculitis
A bacterial infection of hair follicles.
bacterial parotitis
Inflammation of the parotid (salivary) glands, often due to an infection with the mumps virus.
bacterial vaginosis
A common condition of the vagina caused by an overgrowth of various bacteria.
Baker's cyst
A fluid-filled lump behind the knee.
balanitis
Inflammation of the end of the penis.
balanitis xerotica obliterans
A chronic skin condition affecting the male genitalia.
balloon angioplasty
An operation that uses an inflatable balloon to dilate narrowed blood vessels.
balloon dilation
The use of a balloon to open up a narrowing, or stricture, in the body.
barium enema
A barium enema is a medical procedure used to examine and diagnose problems with the colon (large intestine). X-ray pictures are taken while barium sulphate fills the colon via the rectum.
barium meal
An X-ray examination of the stomach, taken after swallowing a liquid that shows up clearly on the X-ray (barium sulphate).
barium swallow
An X-ray examination of the oesophagus (gullet), taken after swallowing a liquid that shows up clearly on the X-ray (barium sulphate).
barotrauma
Damage or pain mainly affecting the middle ear and facial sinuses that is caused by changes in surrounding air pressure.
Bartholin's glands
A pair of oval, pea-sized glands whose ducts open into the vulva.
Bartholinitis
Inflammation of a vulvovaginal gland.
basal cell carcinoma
A type of skin cancer.
BCC
An abbreviation for basal cell carcinoma.
Beau's lines
Deep groved lines that run from side to side on the fingernail.
bed sore
Ulceration in the skin caused by continuous pressure combined with a reduced blood supply.
Behcet's syndrome
A chronic condition resulting from disturbances in the immune system.
Behçet’s disease
An autoimmune disorder that results in widespread inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis). Symptoms may include oral or genital ulceration and skin or eye lesions. It is more common in the Middle East and Asia.
benign
Not dangerous, usually applied to a tumour that is not malignant.
benign positional vertigo
Inflammation of the vestibular nerve supplying the inner ear, leading to disabling attacks of vertigo.
benign prostatic hyperplasia
Enlargement of the prostate, which may cause difficulty in passing urine.