Medical dictionary

What is a birthmark?   A birthmark is a coloured mark that is visible on the skin, which can vary in size and colour. It often appears at birth or develops soon afterwards.   A birthmark will either fade or get bigger over time and be permanent. It may appear anywhere on the body or face and is completely harmless in most cases.   What are the different types of bi

What is bladder cancer? Bladder cancer is a relatively common type of cancer, which involves the growth of abnormal tissue (a tumour) in the bladder tissue. Bladder cancer is often described by how far it has moved into the bladder wall. It can either be non-invasive or invasive. Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is the most common type, in which the cancerous cells are contained within the

What are bladder problems? Men and women can experience a variety of bladder conditions, with some being more common in one gender than the other. Bladder problems can be described as abnormal bladder function. Some of the most common bladder problems are: Urinary tract infections Overactive bladder Urinary retention Incontinence (stress, urge, overflow, total) I

What are bleeding disorders? Coagulopathies or bleeding disorders are a group of blood coagulation disorders. They can be inherited (such as haemophilia, von Willebrand disease or hereditary platelets conditions) or acquired (caused by a defect in the synthesising process of the plasma constituents of the blood, or by an assimilation of antibodies attacking haemocoagulating factors). Acquired c

What is it? Blepharitis is an inflammatory condition of the eyelids. It can be part of a wider inflammation of the eye surface, involving the conjunctiva (the transparent membrane covering the inside of the eyelids) and the white part of the eyeball. (conjunctivitis, blepharoconjunctivitis). It can also affect the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye) known as blepharokeratoconjunct

What is blepharoplasty? Blepharoplasty, or dark circles surgery, is a plastic surgery operation aimed at correcting eyelid defects and deformities, or to aesthetically modify the region around the eyes. It often involves the removal of excess skin, muscle, and fat that accumulates around the eyes with age, causing sagging and the appearance of bags under the eyes. Why is blepharoplasty done?A

What is blepharospasm? Blepharospasm is a type of muscle spasm or dystonia affecting the muscles that control the eyelids, which causes them to close involuntarily. This can cause rapid and/or frequent blinking, an inability to open the eye (apraxia), the eyes forcing themselves closed, or a combination of these symptoms. Other facial muscles can be affected too, with twitching symptoms ra

What is a bloated stomach?A bloated stomach is when the tummy is stretched and puffy, leaving a person feeling uncomfortable. The most common cause of a bloated stomach is gas and air, as gas builds up in the digestive tract when undigested food gets broken down, or from swallowing too much air when eating too fast. For some people, it can be from overindulging but for others, there could be an un

What is a blocked nose? A blocked nose, or nasal congestion, is when the nose has a 'stuffy' feeling due to mucus or other obstruction. This could be due to the common cold, or a problem like sinusitis, or nasal polyps.    What are the possible causes of a blocked nose? The possible causes of a blocked nose include:   Infections, such as a cold