Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

bedbug
A blood-sucking bug in the Cimex family
that lives hidden in bedding or furniture and comes
out at night to bite its victims.
bedsore
A painful, often reddened area of degen-
erating, ulcerated skin that is caused by pressure
and lack of movement and is worsened by exposure
to urine or other irritating substances. Untreated
bedsores can become seriously infected or gan-
grenous. Bedsores are a major problem for patients
who are confined to a bed or wheelchair, and they
can be prevented by moving the patient frequently,
changing bedding, and keeping the skin clean and
dry. Also known as pressure sore, decubitus sore,
and decubitus ulcer.
bedwetting
Involuntary urination in bed after the
usual age of toilet training. Also known as nighttime
enuresis and nocturnal enuresis. It may be caused
by incomplete development of bladder control, a
sleep or arousal disorder, bladder or kidney dis-
ease, neurological problems, or psychological
causes (such as fear of the dark that prevents the
child from leaving the bed). About 20 percent of 5-
year-olds wet the bed at least once a month; sur-
prisingly, bedwetting can persist into teenage.
Treatment depends on the cause and may include
education, behavior modification techniques, the
use of alarms, bladder-retention training, and med-
ication. See also 
enuresis.
bee sting
An area of skin affected by piercing
from the stinger of a bee. A bee sting can trigger an
allergic reaction, including life-threatening anaphy-
lactic shock. Avoidance and prompt treatment are
essential for those who are allergic to bee stings.
Self-injectible adrenaline can be carried by persons
known to be allergic when in risk areas. Hikers
should wear long pants and shirts in risk areas. If a
person is attacked, he or she should run for shelter,
covering the face to prevent airway stings. Treatment
depends on the severity of symptoms. Stingers
should be removed promptly, and the area should
be cleansed with soap and water. Ice packs, pain
medications, and anti-itching medications can be
helpful in treating local reactions. Victims with
more serious symptoms can require intravenous
fluids, oxygen, cortisone medicine, or epinephrine,
as well as medications to open the breathing pas-
sages. In selected cases, allergy injection therapy is
highly effective for prevention. For those who are
not allergic, stings are a minor nuisance unless they
occur in multiples.