Internal Bleeding 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 aortic aneurysm: A balloon-like swelling in the wall of the aorta within the abd...

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.

Abruption: A sudden breaking off or away. Abruption of the placenta (abruptio placentae) i...

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

Airway: The path that air follows to get into and out of the lungs. The mouth and nose are...

Alcohol abuse: Use of alcoholic beverages to excess, either on individual occasions (binge...

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

Anemic: Relating to anemia, the condition of having less than the normal number of red blo...

Aneurysm: A localized widening (dilatation) of an artery, a vein, or the heart. At the poi...

Angiography: A procedure performed to view blood vessels after injecting them with a radio...

Anoscopy: Anoscopy is a procedure used to visualize the wall of the anus and lowest portio...

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

Aorta: The largest artery in the body, the aorta arises from the left ventricle of the he...

Aortic: Pertaining to the aorta, the largest artery in the body.

Aortic aneurysm: An outpouching (a local widening) of the largest artery in the body, the ...

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

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Atrial: Pertaining to the atria, the upper chambers of the heart, as in atrial fibrillatio...

Atrial fibrillation: An abnormal and irregular heart rhythm in which electrical signals ar...

Backbone: The spine. A flexible row of bones stretching from the base of the skull to the...

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

Bladder infection: Infection of the urinary bladder. Some people are at more risk for blad...

Blindness: Loss of useful sight. Blindness can be temporary or permanent. Damage to any p...

Blood clots: Blood that has been converted from a liquid to a solid state. Also called a t...

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

Blood in the urine: Blood that appears in the urine. Also known as hematuria. Gross hematu...

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

Blood transfusion: The transfer of blood or blood components from one person (the donor) i...

Bone marrow: The soft blood-forming tissue that fills the cavities of bones and contains f...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

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

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Capillaries: Capillaries are the smallest of blood vessels. They serve to distribute oxyge...

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

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

Cerebral: Of or pertaining to the cerebrum or the brain.

Cerebral aneurysm: A localized widening of a vessel within the brain. See: Berry aneurysm...

Cervix: The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb). The uterus, a hollow, ...

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

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

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

Chronic pain: Pain (an unpleasant sense of discomfort) that persists or progresses over ...

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...

Circulatory system: The system that moves blood throughout the body. The circulatory syste...

Cirrhosis: Liver disease characterized by irreversible scarring. Alcohol and viral hepatit...

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...

Coma: A state of deep, unarousable unconsciousness. A coma may occur as a result of head t...

Compartment syndrome: A condition in which there is swelling and an increase in pressure w...

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

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

Compress: Cloth or another material applied under pressure to an area of the skin and held...

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

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

Congenital: A condition that is present at birth, whether or not it is inherited.

Cough: A rapid expulsion of air from the lungs, typically in order to clear the lung airwa...

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

Cyst: A closed sac or capsule, usually filled with fluid or semisolid material.

Cysts: Cysts are abnormal, closed sac-like structures within a tissue that contain a liqui...

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 ...

Dilate: To stretch or enlarge. Also known as dilatate.

Donor: The giver of a tissue or an organ, such as a blood donor or kidney donor.

Ectopic: In the wrong place, out of place. For example, an ectopic kidney is a kidney that...

Ectopic pregnancy: A pregnancy that is not in the uterus. The fertilized egg settles and g...

Embolism: The obstruction of a blood vessel by a foreign substance or a blood clot that tr...

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

Epidural: Outside the dura, the outermost, toughest, and most fibrous of the three membran...

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

Femur: The single bone in the thigh, which is the largest bone in the human body. Also kno...

Fetus: An unborn offspring, from the embryo stage (the end of the eighth week after concep...

Fibrillation: In cardiology, an abnormal and erratic twitching of the heart muscle.

Forearm: The portion of the upper limb from the elbow to the wrist. The forearm has two bo...

Fracture: A break in bone or cartilage. Although usually a result of trauma, a fracture ca...

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

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

Gastrointestinal tract: The stomach and intestines. Abbreviated GI tract.

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...

Hematoma: A localized swelling that is filled with blood caused by a break in the wall of ...

Hemophilia: An inherited disorder in which the ability of blood to clot normally is impair...

Hemorrhagic: Pertaining to bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood.

Heparin: An anticoagulant (anti-clotting) medication. Heparin is useful in preventing thro...

Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, irrespective of the cause. Hepatitis is caused by a ...

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

Humerus: The long bone in the upper arm that extends from the shoulder to the elbow.

Hypotension: Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individual in a ...

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat 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 ...

Inflammatory response: A fundamental type of response by the body to disease and injury, a...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Internal bleeding: Bleeding inside the body that is not seen from the outside. Internal bl...

International normalized ratio: A system established by the World Health Organization (WHO...

Intervention: The act of intervening, interfering or interceding with the intent of modify...

Interventional: Pertaining to the act of intervening, interfering or interceding with the ...

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

Intractable: Unstoppable. For example, intractable diarrhea is diarrhea that can't be stop...

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...

Kidney stone: A stone in the kidney or a stone that originates in the kidney but has passe...

Laceration: A cut.

Lethargy: Abnormal drowsiness, stupor.

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

Liver disease: Liver disease refers to any disorder of the liver. The liver is a large org...

Low blood pressure: Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individua...

Lumbar: Referring to the five lumbar vertebrae, the disks below them, and the correspondin...

Lumbar puncture: A procedure in which cerebrospinal fluid is removed from the spinal canal...

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

Marrow: The bone marrow.

Miscarriage: Inadvertent loss of a pregnancy before the fetus is viable. A considerable pr...

Motor: Something that produces or refers to motion. For example, a motor neuron is a nerve...

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

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

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

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

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

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...

Orifice: An opening. For example, the mouth is an orifice.

Orthostatic hypotension: A temporary lowering of blood pressure, usually related to sudden...

Ovarian: Of or pertaining to the ovary.

Ovarian cyst: A fluid-filled sac in the ovary.

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...

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

Pelvis: The lower part of the abdomen, located between the hip bones. Structures in the fe...

Pericardium: The conical sac of fibrous tissue that surrounds the heart and the roots of ...

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

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

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

Placenta: A temporary organ that joins the mother and fetus, transferring oxygen and nutri...

Placenta previa: A condition in which the placenta is implanted near the outlet of the ute...

Placental: Pertaining to the placenta, the organ joining the mother and fetus during pregn...

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

Platelet count: The calculated number of platelets in a volume of blood, usually expressed...

Predispose: To make more likely or render susceptible. Smoking predisposes to a number of ...

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

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

Pulmonary: Having to do with the lungs.

Pulmonary embolism: Sudden closure of a pulmonary artery or one of its branches, caused by...

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

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...

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

Resuscitation: The procedure of restoring to life, as in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CP...

Risk factor: Something that increases a person's chances of developing a disease. For exam...

Rupture: A break or tear in any organ (such as the spleen) or soft tissue (such as the ach...

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

Seizure: Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, which may produce a physical conv...

Shin: 1. The tibia, the larger of the two bones in the lower leg.
2. T...

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

Shoulder: A structure made up of two main bones: the scapula (shoulder blade) and the hume...

Skull: The skull is a collection of bones which encase the brain and give form to the hea...

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

Spine: 1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects ...

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...

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

Subdural: Below the dura, the outermost, toughest, and most fibrous of the three membranes...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

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.

Tear: A drop of the salty secretion of the lacrimal glands which serves to moisten the con...

Thigh: The thick, muscular portion of the leg that extends from the hip to the knee. The t...

Thigh bone: The thigh bone in anatomy is called the "femur." Whichever term you care to us...

Thrombosis: The formation or presence of a blood clot in a blood vessel. The vessel may be...

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

Transfusion: The transfer of blood or blood products from one person (the donor) into the ...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Trimester: In obstetrics, one of the three divisions of three months each during pregnancy...

Tubal pregnancy: A pregnancy that is not in the usual place within the uterus but is locat...

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

Umbilicus: The vestige left behind on a newborn's belly when the umbilical cord is cut. A...

Unconscious: 1. Interruption of awareness of oneself and one's surroundings, lack ...

Universal donor: A person who is type O in the ABO blood group system and negative for RhD...

Urethra: The tube that leads from the bladder and transports and discharges urine outside ...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Uterus: A hollow, pear-shaped organ that is located in a woman's lower abdomen, between th...

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

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

Vessel: A tube in the body that carries fluids. Examples of vessels are blood vessels and ...

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

Vomit: Matter from the stomach that has come up into and may be ejected beyond the mouth, ...

Warfarin: An anticoagulant drug (brand names: Coumarin, Panwarfin, Sofarin) taken to prev...