Constipation (Adults) Glossary of Terms

1. Constipation Myths and Facts Slideshow
2. Hemorrhoids Slideshow: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
3. Hemorrhoids Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ of Piles

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

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

Acupressure: The application of pressure on specific points on the body to control symptom...

Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness th...

Aluminum: A naturally occurring element that makes up about 8% of the surface of the earth...

Anal fissure: A tear in the anal canal, one of the most common causes of red blood in the ...

Anorexia: An eating disorder characterized by markedly reduced appetite or total aversion...

Anorexia nervosa: See Anorexia.

Anticonvulsant: A medication used to control (prevent) seizures (convulsions) or stop an o...

Antidepressants: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

Antispasmodic: A medication that relieves, prevents, or lowers the incidence of muscle spa...

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

Aromatherapy: A form of alternative medicine in which essential oils or other scents are i...

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...

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

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

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

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ...

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

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

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

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...

Colonic: 1. See: Colonic (adjective). 2. See: Colonic (noun).

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...

Compression: 1. The act of pressing together. As in a compression fracture, nerve c...

Connective tissue: A material made up of fibers forming a framework and support structure...

Constipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. Constipation is the op...

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

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...

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. ...

Digestive system: The system of organs responsible for getting food into and out of the bo...

Diverticulitis: Inflammation of the diverticula (small outpouchings) along the wall of th...

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...

Endoscope: A lighted optical instrument that is used to get a deep look inside the body. A...

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

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 ...

Fats: Plural of the word "fat". See the definition of fat.

FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

Fecal: Relating to the feces, the stool. The excrement discharged from the intestines.

Fecal incontinence: Inability to hold feces in the rectum. This is due to failure of volun...

Feces: The excrement discharged from the 'intestines.

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

Fiber: The parts of fruits and vegetables that cannot be digested. Fiber is of vital impor...

Fissure: A cleft or groove. A fissure can be normal or abnormal.

Gallstones: Stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones can be as smal...

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

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

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

Goiter: A noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland. With a goiter, the levels of thyr...

Halitosis: An unpleasant odor from the mouth, commonly referred to as bad breath. Halitosi...

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...

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

Homeopathy: Founded in the 19th century, a practice that is based on the concept that dise...

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

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

Hypothyroid: Deficiency of thyroid hormone which is normally made by the thyroid gland wh...

Incontinence: The inability to control excretions, to hold urine in the bladder, or to kee...

Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular ...

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...

Injure: To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emotional sense. Fr...

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

Intestinal obstruction: Blockage of the intestine by infolding (intussusception), malform...

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

Intussusception: Infolding (prolapse) of a portion of the intestine within another immedia...

Iron: An essential mineral. Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen (via hemoglobin ...

Joint: The area where two bones are attached for the purpose of permitting body parts to m...

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

Laxative: Something that promotes emptying of the bowels. Laxatives are used to combat con...

Lead poisoning: An acute or chronic poisoning caused by the absorption of lead or any of i...

Lethal: Deadly.

Lupus: A chronic inflammatory disease that is caused by autoimmunity. Patients with lupus ...

Magnesia: Named after a town in present day Turkey where an ore containing magnesium carbo...

Metabolic: Relating to metabolism, the whole range of biochemical processes that occur wit...

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

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

Mucous: Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the b...

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

Multiple sclerosis: A disease that is characterized by loss of myelin (demyelinization). A...

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

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Neck pain: Neck pain is the sensation of discomfort in the neck area. Neck pain can result...

Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

Obstruction: Blockage of a passageway. See, for example: Airway obstruction; Intestinal o...

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

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

Pharmacist: A professional who fills prescriptions and, in the case of a compounding pharm...

Phosphate: A form of phosphoric acid. Calcium phosphate makes bones and teeth hard.

Piles: 1. A term in use since the 15th century for hemorrhoids. 2. A street ...

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

Postoperative: After surgery. As opposed to preoperative, before surgery.

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

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

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

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Rectal bleeding: Blood passed rectally. Blood in the stool can be bright red or maroon in ...

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

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

Reflex: An involuntary reaction. For example, the corneal reflex is the blink that occurs ...

Remedy: Something that consistently helps treat or cure a disease.

Renal: Having to do with the kidney. For example, renal cancer is cancer of the kidneys.

Saline: Relating to salt. As an adjective, "saline" means "salty, containing salt." As a n...

Scleroderma: A disease of connective tissue that causes scar tissue (fibrosis) to form in ...

Sclerosis: Localized hardening of skin. Sclerosis is generally caused by underlying diseas...

Sigmoidoscopy: A procedure in which a physician inserts a viewing tube (sigmoidoscope) int...

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

Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The ch...

Spasm: A brief, automatic jerking movement. A muscle spasm can be quite painful, with the ...

Spastic colon: A term sometimes used to refer to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Although...

Spinal cord: The major column of nerve tissue that is connected to the brain and lies with...

Stenosis: A narrowing. For example, aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the aortic valve in ...

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

Strain: 1. An injury to a tendon or muscle resulting from overuse or trauma. 2. A heredita...

Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

Sunburn: Sunburn is an inflammation of the skin that develops in response to exposure to u...

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.

Taste: A perception that results from stimulation of a gustatory nerve. Taste belongs to t...

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A p...

Thyroid gland: A gland that makes and stores hormones that help regulate the heart rate, b...

Tired: A feeling of a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment,...

Tiredness: See: Tired.

Tongue: A strong muscle that is anchored to the floor of the mouth. The tongue is covered ...

Trigger: Something that either sets off a disease in people who are genetically predispose...

Vagina: The muscular canal that extends from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is ...

Voluntary: Done in accordance with the conscious will of the individual. The opposite of i...

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

Womb: The womb (uterus) is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's lower abdomen ...

X-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used...