Definition A wound occurs when the integrity of any tissue is compromised (e.g. skin breaks, muscle tears,burns , or bone fractures ). A wound may be caused by an act (such as a gunshot, a fall, or a surgical procedure), by an infectious disease, or by an underlying condition. Description Types and causes of wounds are wide ranging, and healthcare professionals...

Definition Wound flushing is a method of cleaning a wound by applying pressurized water or antiseptic solutions to the tissues. It is also called irrigation. Purpose Wound flushing is used to help flush debris from a wound, lessening the risk of infection or treating an infection that already exists. If the wound is flushed with an antiseptic,...

Definition A wound culture is a laboratory test in which microorganisms from a wound are grown in a special growth medium. It is done to find and identify the microorganism causing an infection in a wound or an abscess. If a microorganism is found, more testing is done to determine how to treat the infection. Purpose Wounds are injuries to...

Definition Women's health is the effect of gender on disease and health that encompasses a broad range of biological and psychosocial issues. Description Women's health is the concept that examines gender differences in health and disease states. The average life expectancy has almost doubled for women (79 years for women and 73 years for men), when compared...

Definition Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is an abnormality in the electrical functioning of the heart which may cause rapid heart rates. The abnormality affects the electrical signal between the atria and ventricles. Description Blood is circulated through the heart and body by a muscular pump and valve system involving the atria and ventricles. The...

Definition Withdrawal syndrome occurs in drug and alcohol addicted individuals who discontinue or reduce the use of their drug of choice. This process of eliminating drugs and alcohol from the body is known as detoxification. Anxiety, insomnia, nausea, perspiration, body aches, and tremors are just a few of the physical and psychological symptoms...

Definition Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare inherited disorder marked by a low level of blood platelets, eczema, recurrent infections, and a high risk of leukemia or lymph node tumors. Description WAS was named for the two physicians who first reported the disorder. In 1937, Dr. A. Wiskott, a physician working in Munich, described two affected boys of German ancestry who had repeated...

Definition Wilson disease, or WD, is a rare inherited disorder that causes excess copper to accumulate in the body. It is also known as hepatolenticular degeneration. Steadily increasing amounts of copper circulating in the blood are deposited primarily in the brain, liver, kidneys, and the cornea of the eyes. WD is fatal if it is not recognized and treated. It is...

Definition Wilms' tumor is a cancerous tumor of the kidney that usually occurs in young children. Description When an unborn baby is developing, the kidneys are formed from primitive cells. Over time, these cells become more specialized. The cells mature and organize into the normal kidney structure. Sometimes, clumps of these cells remain in their original, primitive form. If these cells begin to multiply...

Definition Wilderness medicine encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries and medical conditions that may occur during activities in remote territories. Purpose Activities that may require wilderness medicine include backpacking, cross-country skiing, mountaineering, white water rafting, scuba diving, and exploration in undeveloped...

Definition Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious disease which causes classicspasms (paroxysms) of uncontrollable coughing, followed by a sharp, high-pitched intake of air which creates the characteristic whoop that is reflected in the disease's name. Description Whooping cough is caused by a bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. B. pertussis causes its most...

  Definition A white blood cell (WBC) count determines the concentration of white blood cells in the patient'sblood. A differential determines the percentage of each of the five types of mature white bloodcells.   Purpose This test is included in general health examinations and to help investigate a variety of illnesses. An elevated...

Definition Whiplash is a sudden, moderate-to-severe strain affecting the bones, discs, muscles, nerves, or tendons of the neck. Description The neck is composed of seven small bones. Known as the cervical spine, these bones: ·         support the head ·         help maintain an unobstructed enclosure for the spinal...

Definition Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound associated with labored breathing. Description Wheezing occurs when a child or adult tries to breathe deeply through air passages that are narrowed or filled with mucus as a result of: ·         allergy ·         infection ·        ...

Definition West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne viral illness that can manifest with varying seriousness, ranging from no symptoms or mild flu-like symptoms to brain damage and death. Description West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex, which includes St. Louis encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, and...

Definition Weight loss drugs are medications that may help an obese person lose weight in combination with a low-calorie diet and physical activity. Purpose More than 60% of American adults are overweight or obese. Since the 1980s the number of overweight people has increased steadily and the number of obese people has almost doubled. Excess weight and...

Definition Wegener's granulomatosis is a very rare disease that affects many different organs and systems of the body. It mainly attacks the respiratory system (sinuses, nose, windpipe, and the lungs) and the kidneys. One of the main features of the disease is an inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis). The inflammation narrows the blood vessels and reduces the blood flow to the affected organs. This...

Definition The Wechsler intelligence tests are a widely used series of intelligence tests developed by clinical psychologist David Wechsler. Purpose The Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (regular, revised, and third edition) and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence are used as tools in school placement, in...

Definition Warts are small, benign growths caused by a viral infection of the skin or mucous membrane. The virus infects the surface layer. The viruses that cause warts are members of the human papilloma virus (HPV) family. Warts are not cancerous but some strains of HPV, usually not associated with warts, have been linked with cancer formation. Warts are...

Definition Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia is a rare, chronic cancer of the immune system that is characterized by hyperviscosity, or thickening, of the blood. Description Waldenstrom's (Waldenstrom, Waldenstroem's) macroglobulinemia (WM) is a lymphoma, or cancer of the lymphatic system. It was first identified in 1944, by the Swedish physician Jan GostaWaldenstrom,...

Loss of weight is expected when a person goes on a reducing diet. But loss of weight under other circumstances is cause for alarm. Loss of weight occurs in acute diseases with fever or in any illness where food intake is sharply curtailed. Unexplained loss of weight is one of the signs that should call attention to the possibility of cancer. Loss of weight may not be the first telltale evidence of cancer, however....

(See Loss of Energy) Progressive weakness may occur in old age, particularly when the elderly person has some chronic illness. It occurs in patients of any age who have been long confined to bed. Even after recovery from an illness the patient will need to "get his strength back," increasing his activities gradually.  General weakness occurs in illnesses with fever, and in systemic diseases...