Diverticulitis (Diverticulosis) Glossary of Terms

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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.

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

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

Aging: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environ...

American Medical Association: The AMA. The AMA's mission statement proclaims:

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

Belly: That part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and t...

Bladder: A hollow organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. The kidneys filter waste f...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

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

Carbohydrates: Mainly sugars and starches, together constituting one of the three principa...

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

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...

Colorectal: Related to the colon and/or rectum.

Colorectal cancer: A malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine (t...

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

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

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

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. ...

Distention: The state of being distended, enlarged, swollen from internal pressure.

Diverticula: The plural of diverticulum.

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

Diverticulosis: Diverticulosis is the condition of having diverticula, small outpouchings...

Diverticulum: A small bulging sac pushing outward from the colon wall is a diverticulum. A...

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...

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

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...

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

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...

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

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa...

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

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 ...

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...

Journal of the American Medical Association: JAMA, which began publication in 1883, now bi...

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...

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

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

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

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

Operation: In medicine, a surgical procedure. Many operations are named after persons. The...

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

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

Peritoneum: The membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers most of the abdominal ...

Peritonitis: Inflammation of the peritoneum (The peritoneum is the tissue layer of cells l...

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

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...

Relapse: The return of signs and symptoms of a disease after a remission.

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

Rule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera...

Sedative: A drug that calms a patient, easing agitation and permitting sleep. Sedatives ge...

Sigmoidoscope: A lighted instrument that is used to view the inside of the lower colon.

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...

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

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

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

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

Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

Urinary tract: The organs of the body that produce, store, and discharge urine. These orga...

Urinary tract infection: An infection of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra. Abbrevia...

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