Crohn's Disease FAQs Glossary of Terms

1. Irritable Bowel Disease Slideshow
2. Digestive Disease Myths Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the Tummy Trouble Quiz

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 ...

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

Abscess: A local accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. The following are some example...

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

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

Autoimmune disease: An illness that occurs when the body tissues are attacked by its own i...

Autoimmunity: A misdirected immune response that occurs when the immune system goes awry a...

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...

Bile: Bile is a yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder a...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

Chemical reaction: A process in which one substance is transformed into another.

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

Chronic disease: A disease that persists for a long time. A chronic disease is one lasting...

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...

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

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

Colostomy: An artificial exit from the colon created to divert waste through a hole in the...

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

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...

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...

Duct: A walled passageway, such as a lymph duct, that carries fluid from one place to anot...

Duodenum: The first part of the small intestine. The duodenum is a common site for peptic ...

Endoscopy: Examination of the inside of the body by using a lighted, flexible instrument c...

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

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

Fistula: An abnormal passageway in the body. The fistula may go from the body surface int...

Flare: 1. an exacerbation of a chronic disease. Sometimes referred to as a flare-up, a fla...

Gastroenteritis: Inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. Gastroenteritis can cause...

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

Hepatology: The field of liver disease. The liver is the body's largest organ and hepatolo...

Ileostomy: An opening into the ileum, part of the small intestine, from the outside of the...

Ileum: Part of the small intestine beyond the jejunum and before the large intestine (colo...

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...

Jejunum: Part of the small intestine. It is half-way down the small intestine between its...

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...

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

Malabsorption: Poor intestinal absorption of nutrients. Malabsorption can occur from disea...

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...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Nasogastric: Referring to the passage from the nose to the stomach. Abbreviated NG.

Nasogastric tube: A tube that is passed through the nose and down through the nasopharynx ...

NG tube: See: Nasogastric tube.

Nutrition: 1) The science or practice of taking in and utilizing foods. 2) A nourishing ...

Ostomy: An operation to create an opening from an area inside the body to the outside.

PA-C: Physician Assistant - Certified.

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

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Quality of life: The patient's ability to enjoy normal life activities. Quality of life is...

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

Regional enteritis: Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine prima...

Remission: Disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer or other disease. A remission...

Resection: Surgical removal of part of an organ.

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

Small bowel: Another name for the small intestine.

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

Stoma: An opening into the body from the outside that is created by a surgeon.

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...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Terminal ileitis: Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine involvi...

Ulcer: A lesion that is eroding away the skin or mucous membrane. Ulcers can have various ...

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

Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves. Ultra-sound waves can be bounced off tissues by us...

Weight loss: Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (die...

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