Breast Lumps and Pain 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...

Aging: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environ...

Alveoli: The plural of alveolus. The alveoli are tiny air sacs within the lungs where the ...

Analysis: In psychology, a term for conversation-based therapeutic processes used to gain ...

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) ...

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

Bilateral: Affecting both sides. For example, bilateral arthritis affects joints on both t...

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

Birth control: Birth control is the use of any practices, methods, or devices to prevent p...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

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 lump: A localized swelling, knot, bump, bulge or protuberance in the breast. Breast...

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...

Bruise: Injury of the soft tissues that results in breakage of the local capillaries and l...

Caffeine: A stimulant compound found naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa (chocolate), and kola...

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

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 ...

Consultant: An individual to whom one refers for expert advice or services. The use of con...

Costochondritis: Inflammation and swelling of the cartilage of the chest wall, usually inv...

Cyst: A closed sac or capsule, usually filled with fluid or semisolid material.

Cysts: Cysts are abnormal, closed sac-like structures within a tissue that contain a liqui...

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...

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...

Estrogen: A female steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts,...

Evening primrose oil: A natural source of essential fatty acids (EFOs).

Excisional: Pertaining to the act of excision, of removal by surgery. An excisional biopsy...

Excisional biopsy: A biopsy in which an entire lesion is removed. A excisional biopsy is...

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

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...

Fibroadenoma: The most common benign tumor of the breast and the most common breast tumor ...

Fine needle aspiration: The use of a thin needle to withdraw material from the body for an...

Genes: The basic biological units of heredity. Segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nee...

Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic
information.

Genetic testing: Tests done for clinical genetic purposes. Genetic tests may be done for ...

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

Gland: A group of cells that secrete a substance for use in the body. For example, the thy...

Gynecomastia: Excessive development of the male breasts. Temporary enlargement of the brea...

Herbal: 1. An adjective, referring to herbs, as in an herbal tea.
2. A...

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

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

Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa...

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.

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 ...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

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

Lesion: An area of abnormal tissue change. Lesions vary in severity from harmless to serio...

Lymphatics: Small thin channels similar to blood vessels that do not carry blood, but coll...

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...

Menstrual: Pertaining to menstruation (the menses), as in last menstrual period, menstrua...

Menstrual cycle: The monthly cycle of changes in the ovaries and the lining of the uteru...

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

Nipple discharge: See: Breast discharge.

Nursing: 1) Profession concerned with the provision of services essential to the maintena...

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

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

Oxymetholone: A synthetic male steroid hormone that is sometimes used to treat wasting in ...

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...

Pituitary: 1. As an adjective, pertaining to the pituitary gland or its hormonal se...

Pituitary gland: The main endocrine gland. It is a small structure in the head. It is ca...

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

Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

Premenstrual: Just before the start of menstruation. As in a premenstrual headache.

Premenstrual syndrome: A combination of physical and mood disturbances that occur in the l...

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...

Radiate: To spread out from a central area. For example, sciatic pain may radiate outward ...

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy ...

Rash: Breaking out (eruption) of the skin. A rash can be caused by an underlying medical c...

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

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

Shingles: An acute infection caused by the herpes zoster virus, the same virus as causes ...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

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

Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spre...

Steroid: One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon struc...

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...

Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

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

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

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

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

Unilateral: Having, or relating to, one side. For example, a unilateral rash is one that i...

Viruses: Small living particles that can infect cells and change how the cells function. I...

Vitamin E: Alpha-tocopherol, an antioxidant vitamin which binds oxygen free radicals that ...