boil A skin abscess that forms at a hair follicle infected with pus-forming bacteria. The main treatments include hot packs and draining (lancing) the boil when it is soft. Antibiotics are usually not very helpful in treating boils. A person who has a fever or long-term illness, such as cancer or diabetes, or is taking…
bodywork Any of a number of therapeutic or simply relaxing practices that involve the manipulation, massage, or regimented movement of body parts. Examples include massage, craniosacral therapy, and Pilates. Bodywork may be used as an adjunct to medical treatment, or it may be prescribed as a form of physical therapy for certain conditions.
body type A somewhat old-fashioned term used to classify the human shape into three primary types: ectomorphic, mesomorphic, or endomorphic.
body surface area The total suface area of the human body. The BSA is used in many measurements in medicine, including the calculation of drug dosages and the amount of fluids to be administered intravenously. Abbreviated BSA.
body mass index A key index for relating weight to height. Abbreviated BMI. BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms (kg) divided by his or her height in meters squared. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) now defines normal weight, overweight, and obesity according to BMI rather than the traditional height/weight charts. Overweight is a…
body dysmorphic disorder A psychiatric disorder characterized by excessive preoccupation with imagined defects in physical appearance. It is classified as an anxiety disorder, and it is believed to be a variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Also known as somatoform disorder and dysmorphophobia.
board eligible In medicine, a description for a physician who has completed the requirements for admission to a medical specialty board examination but has not passed that examination. For example, a physician must have 3 years of training in an approved pediatric residency to be eligible for certification by the American Board of Pediatrics.
board certified In medicine, a description for a physician who has taken and passed a medical specialty examination by one of several recognized boards of specialists. Before obtaining board certification, the physician must become board eligible.
BNP See B-type natriuretic peptide.
BMJ British Medical Journal, one of the major general medical journals in the world. BMJ states that it “aims to help doctors everywhere practice better medicine and to influence the debate on health.”
BMI Body mass index.
BMD See bone mineral density.