Breast Infection Glossary of Terms

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Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Abscess: A local accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. The following are some example...

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

Anesthesia: Loss of feeling or awareness, as when an anesthetic is administered before sur...

Anesthetic: A substance that causes lack of feeling or awareness, dulling pain to permit s...

Antibiotic: A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms. ...

Areola: 1. The small darkened area around the nipple of the breast. 2. The colored part of...

Aspiration: Removal of a sample of fluid and cells through a needle. Aspiration also re...

Axilla: Armpit.

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

Bacterial: Of or pertaining to bacteria, as in a bacterial lung infection.

Benign: Not malignant. A benign tumor is one that does not invade surrounding tissue or sp...

Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope to check for ...

Breast abscess: A local accumulation of pus within the breast due to infection. Symptoms m...

Breast biopsy: A procedure in which a sample of a suspicious breast growth is removed and ...

Breast cancer: Breast cancer is diagnosed with self- and physician-examination of the brea...

Breast infection: Infection of breast tissue usually caused by bacteria, most often staph ...

Breast milk: Milk from the breast. Human milk contains a balance of nutrients that close...

Breast pain: Pain in the breast or mammary gland, known medically as mastalgia. From the G...

Breastfeeding: Feeding a child human breast milk. According to the American Academy of Ped...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

Carcinoma: Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover body organs. Ex...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chills: feelings of coldness accompanied by shivering. Chills may develop after exposure t...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Chronic illness: An illness that lasts 3 months or more.

Compress: Cloth or another material applied under pressure to an area of the skin and held...

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vag...

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

Drain: A device for removing fluid from a cavity or wound. A drain is typically a tube or ...

Duct: A walled passageway, such as a lymph duct, that carries fluid from one place to anot...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Erythromycin: Erythromycin is a common antibiotic for treating bacterial infection. Sold...

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

Genetics: The scientific study of heredity. Genetics pertains to humans and all other orga...

Gynecology: The branch of medicine that is particularly concerned with the health of the f...

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

Incision: A cut through skin or other tissue performed by a health care professional.

Infant: A young baby, from birth to 12 months of age.

Infant formula: A substitute for breast milk for feeding infants.

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

La Leche League: An organization that helps and supports breastfeeding mothers with advice...

Lactation: The process of milk production. Human milk is secreted by the mammary glands, w...

Mammogram: An X-ray of the breast that is taken with a device that compresses and flattens...

Mastalgia: Pain in the breast or mammary gland, whether serious or not. Mastalgia has many...

Mastitis: Inflammation of one or more mammary glands within the breast, usually in a lacta...

Menopause: The time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop; it is also...

Methicillin: A semisynthetic penicillin-related antibiotic, also known as Staphcillin, tha...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Nutrition: 1) The science or practice of taking in and utilizing foods. 2) A nourishing ...

Obstetrics: The art and science of managing pregnancy, labor, and the puerperium (the time...

Operating room: A facility that is equipped for performing surgery. Abbreviated OR.

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Postmenopausal: After menopause, the period of time after a woman has experienced 12 conse...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Probe: (1) In surgery, a probe is a slender flexible rod with a blunt end used to e...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Puberty: Adolescence, the period in which the human body first becomes capable of reproduc...

Pus: A thick, whitish-yellow fluid that results from the accumulation of white blood cells...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Rigor: A word with two different but related meanings in medicine:
1. A chill...

Rule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera...

Sore: 1. (adjective) A popular term for painful, such as a sore throat. 2. (...

Staphylococcus: A group of bacteria that cause a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope...

Superficial: In anatomy, on the surface or shallow. As opposed to deep. The skin is superf...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Syringe: A medical device that is used to inject fluid into, or withdraw fluid from, the b...

Temple: The area just behind and to the side of the forehead and the eye, above the side o...

Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be ...

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves. Ultra-sound waves can be bounced off tissues by us...