Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A whistling noise in the chest during breathing. Wheezing occurs when the airways are narrowed or compressed.

A raised, itchy (pruritic) area of skin that is sometimes an overt sign of allergy. Not all wheals are alike. They may be redder or paler than the skin around them. They may vary in configuration and may be rounded or flat-topped. Wheals typically have a reddish hue. They characteristically change in size and shape and…

A gelatinous substance that provides insulation and protection within the umbilical cord. Stem cells are present in Wharton’s jelly, as well as in umbilical cord blood.

Medical shorthand for white female.

A red bump, ridge or swelling of unbroken skin raised by a stinging blow or by an allergic reaction to foods, drugs or insect bites, as in hives (urticaria). The word “welt” has a number of nonmedical but related meanings including: in sewing, an edge of cloth folded on itself, often over a cord, and sewed…

Weight Watchers is a diet plan first developed in the 1960s that encourages weight loss by making healthy food and lifestyle choices. The Weight Watchers plan is based upon the idea that dieting is only one part of a healthy lifestyle. The program stresses the importance of overall mental and physical health and well-being. Weight Watchers…

Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (diet, exercise) or involuntary (illness) circumstances. Most instances of weight loss arise due to the loss of body fat, but in cases of extreme or severe weight loss, protein and other substances in the body can also be depleted. Examples of involuntary weight loss include the weight…

Inflammation of the bursa that separates the gluteus maximus muscle of the buttocks from the underlying bony prominence of the bone that a person sits on (ischial tuberosity). Weaver’s bottom is a form of bursitis that is usually caused by prolonged sitting on hard surfaces that press against the bones of the bottom or midbuttocks. Also known as ischial bursitis.

Abbreviation for ‘well-developed, well-nourished,’ shorthand used by physicians when jotting down the results of a physical examination. For example, a WDWNWF would be a well-developed, well-nourished white female.

Wiedemann-Beckwith syndrome.