Colitis Glossary of Terms

1. Inflammatory Bowel Disease Slideshow
2. Ulcerative Colitis Slideshow

Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the...

Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

Abdominal cavity: The cavity within the abdomen, the space between the abdominal wall and...

Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

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

Absorption: Uptake. For example, intestinal absorption is the uptake of food (or other sub...

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

Anatomy: The study of human or animal form, by observation or examination of the living be...

Anemia: The condition of having a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity ...

Angina: Chest pain due to an inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. The pain is ...

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

Anus: The opening of the rectum to the outside of the body.

Artery: A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the far...

Atherosclerosis: A process of progressive thickening and hardening of the walls of medium-...

Autoimmune: Pertaining to autoimmunity, a misdirected immune response that occurs when the...

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

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

Barium: 1. A metallic element belonging to the alkaline earths with an atomic numbe...

Barium enema: An enema using a white, chalky solution containing barium, in preparation fo...

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 ...

Blood count: The calculated number of white or red blood cells (WBCs or RBCs) in a cubic m...

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Blood urea nitrogen: A measure of the urea level in blood. Abbreviated BUN. Diseases that ...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

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

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

Carbon dioxide: A gas which is the byproduct of cellular metabolism and which collects in ...

CBC: A commonly used abbreviation in medicine that stands for complete blood count, a set...

Cecum: The first portion of the large bowel, which is situated in the lower-right quadrant...

Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

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

Cholesterol: The most common type of steroid in the body. Cholesterol has a reputation for...

Circulation: In medicine, the movement of fluid through the body in a regular or circuitou...

Circulatory: Having to do with circulation, the movement of fluid in a regular or circuito...

Clostridium: A group of anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that thrive in the absence of oxygen)...

Clostridium difficile: A bacterium that is one of the most common causes of infection of t...

Colectomy: An operation to remove all or part of the colon (large intestine). In a partial...

Colitis: Inflammation of the large intestine (the colon). There are many forms of coliti...

Collagen: The principal protein of the skin, tendons, cartilage, bone, and connective tiss...

Colon: The long, coiled, tubelike organ that removes water from digested food. The remaini...

Colon cancer: A malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine (the co...

Colonoscopy: A procedure whereby a physician inserts a viewing tube (colonoscope) into the...

Complete blood count: A set values of the cellular (formed elements) of blood. These meas...

Computerized tomography: Pictures of structures within the body created by a computer that...

Creatinine: A chemical waste molecule that is generated from muscle metabolism. Creatinine...

Crohn's disease: A chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the small and large ...

CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

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 ...

Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

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

Dry mouth: The condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. This is due to...

Dysplasia: Abnormality in form or development. For example, retinal dysplasia is abnormal ...

Electrolyte: A substance that dissociates into ions in solution and acquires the capacity ...

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

Enema: Liquid injected into the rectum. An enema may be used for therapeutic (such as to s...

Esophagus: The tube that connects the pharynx (throat) with the stomach. The esophagus lie...

Essential: In medicine, of unknown cause, as in essential hypertension (high blood pressur...

Feces: The excrement discharged from the 'intestines.

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

Food poisoning: A common flu-like illness typically characterized by nausea, vomiting and...

Gastroenterologist: A physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases...

Gastroenterology: The medical specialty devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of d...

Giardia: A genus of protozoa that infect the gastrointestinal tract of some animals, incl...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart attack: The death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. The loss of bloo...

Hemorrhoids: Dilated (enlarged) veins in the walls of the anus and sometimes around the re...

Heredity: The genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to child.

Hernia: A general term referring to a protrusion of a tissue through the wall of the cavit...

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

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...

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 ...

Inflammatory bowel disease: A group of chronic intestinal diseases characterized by infla...

Internal medicine: The medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and medical treatment ...

Intestine: The long, tubelike organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion...

Ischemia: Inadequate blood supply to a local area due to blockage of blood vessels leading...

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

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

Large bowel: Another name for the large intestine.

Large intestine: Comes after the small intestine. Large because it is wider than the smal...

Lightheadedness: A feeling you are "going to faint." Lightheadedness is medically distinc...

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Lymphocytic: Referring to lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. For example, lymphocyti...

Lymphocytic colitis: A type of inflammatory disease of the large intestine (colon). The na...

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Microscopic: So small it cannot be seen without the aid of microscope. As opposed to macro...

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

Mucosa: Having to do with a mucous membrane. For example, the oral mucosa.

Mucus: A thick fluid that is produced by the lining of some organs of the body.

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Muscular: Having to do with the muscles. Also, endowed with above average muscle developme...

Nitrogen: Element number 7, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is biologically impo...

Occult: Hidden. For example, occult blood in the stool is hidden from the eye but can be d...

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

Organ: A relatively independent part of the body that carries out one or more special func...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

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

Parasite: A plant or an animal organism that lives in or on another and takes its nourishm...

Pathologist: A physician who identifies diseases and conditions by studying abnormal cells...

Peripheral: Situated away from the center, as opposed to centrally located.

Peripheral vascular disease: A disease of blood vessels outside the heart. Peripheral vasc...

Platelet: An irregular, disc-shaped element in the blood that assists in blood clotting....

Poisoning: Taking a substance that is injurious to health or can cause death. Poisoning i...

Poor circulation: An inadequacy of blood flow. Inadequate blood flow to a particular area ...

Primary care: A patient's main source for regular medical care, ideally providing continui...

Proctitis: Inflammation of the rectum. Proctitis may be due to a considerable number of ca...

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

Pseudomembranous colitis: Severe inflammation of the inner lining of the colon. Pseudomemb...

Pulse: The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart. Pulse is...

Radiologist: A physician specialized in radiology, the branch of medicine that uses ionizi...

Rectum: The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine. The rectum stores solid waste until...

Red blood cell: The blood cell that carries oxygen. Red cells contain hemoglobin and it is...

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Respiratory rate: The number of breaths per minute or, more formally, the number of moveme...

Salmonella: A group of bacteria that cause typhoid fever and a number of other illnesses...

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

Shigella: A group of bacteria that can cause infantile gastroenteritis, summer diarrhea of...

Shock: In medicine, a critical condition that is brought on by a sudden drop in blood flow...

Sigmoid: In human anatomy, the lower colon (the lower portion of the large bowel). Sigmoid...

Small intestine: The part of the digestive tract that extends from the stomach to the larg...

Smooth muscle: Along with skeletal and cardiac muscle, one of the types of muscle tissue i...

Spleen: An organ that is located in the upper-left part of the abdomen, not far from the s...

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

Stool: The solid matter that is discharged in a bowel movement.

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

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...

Symptomatic: 1 With symptoms, as a symptomatic infection. 2 Characteristic o...

Tenesmus: Straining to defecate or urinate. Tenesmus refers especially to ineffectual and ...

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

Tomography: The process for generating a tomogram, a two-dimensional image of a slice or s...

Toxin: A poison produced by certain animals, plants, or bacteria.

Transverse: In anatomy, a horizontal plane passing through the standing body so that the t...

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

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Ulcerative colitis: A bowel disease that is characterized by inflammation with ulcer forma...

Urea: A nitrogen-containing substance normally cleared from the blood by the kidney into t...

Vascular: Relating to blood vessels. For example, the vascular system in the body includes...

Viral: Of or pertaining to a virus. For example, if a person has a viral rash, the rash wa...

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

Vital: Necessary to maintain life. For example, breathing is a vital function.

Volvulus: Abnormal twisting of a portion of the gastrointestinal tract, usually the intest...

White blood cell: One of the cells the body makes to help fight infections. There are seve...

White blood cell count (leukocyte count): The number of white blood cells (WBCs) in the b...

Yersinia: A group of bacteria that appear rod-like under the microscope and include Yersin...