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A to Z of neurological topics


  • B

    Back pain


    Useful links:


    Arthritis Research UK

    Spine Universe

    See also our Back Pain news articles

    Bell's palsy


    Bell’s palsy is a condition that causes paralysis of the muscles on one side of a person’s face and is the result of damage to the facial nerve on the same side as the symptoms.



    Useful links:

    Cruse Bereavement Care

    BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)


    An inner ear disorder that causes episodes of dizziness and vertigo. BPPV is generally thought to be due to the displacement of small ‘stones’ that are part of the way that the body senses what position it is in, i.e. whether you are upright, upside down, lying flat etc…


    See our Dizziness and balance problems booklet

    Brain and spine scans


    See our Brain and spine scans fact sheet

    Brain haemorrhage


    See subarachnoid haemorrhage for more information.

    Brain injury


    Brain injury can occur when a sudden trauma or a condition causes damage to the brain. Depending on what part of the brain is affected, brain injuries can cause a wide range of signs and symptoms.


    An acquired brain injury (ABI) is brain damage that has been caused by an event that has occurred after birth. Acquired brain injuries can be further classed as either traumatic brain injuries (TBI), such as those resulting from a fall or road accident, or non-traumatic brain injuries, which includes damage caused by conditions such as stroke and meningitis.


    See our Head injury booklet

    Brain surgery


    See our Craniotomy fact sheet

    Brain tumour


    See our Brain tumour booklet


    (also written brain stem)


    The brainstem is the part of the brain that connects with the spinal cord. It relays information between the brain and the body, and is also involved in vital functions such as breathing.

    Brown-Sequard syndrome


    Brown-Sequard syndrome is a disorder caused by injury or damage to only one side of the spinal cord. Due to the fact only half of the spinal cord is affected, it causes a loss of sensation on the same side of the injury, but weakness on the other side of the body.