Irritable Bowel Syndrome Glossary of Terms
The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome article.
Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ... See the entire definition of AbdominalAbdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ... See the entire definition of Abdominal painAbnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient. Amitriptyline: An antidepressant medication. In some patients with depression, abnormal l... See the entire definition of AmitriptylineAnatomy: The study of human or animal form, by observation or examination of the living be... See the entire definition of AnatomyAntidepressants: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression. Antispasmodic: A medication that relieves, prevents, or lowers the incidence of muscle spa... See the entire definition of AntispasmodicBowel: The small and large intestine. Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func... See the entire definition of BrainBreathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ... See the entire definition of BreathingCaffeine: A stimulant compound found naturally in coffee, tea, cocoa (chocolate), and kola... See the entire definition of CaffeineCalcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ... See the entire definition of CalciumCapsule: Capsule has many meanings in medicine including the following:
Carbohydrate: One of the three nutrient compounds, along with fat and protein, used as ene... See the entire definition of CarbohydrateCeliac disease: A disorder resulting from an immune reaction to gluten, a protein found in... See the entire definition of Celiac disease
Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ... See the entire definition of ChronicColitis: Inflammation of the large intestine (the colon). There are many forms of coliti... See the entire definition of ColitisColon: The long, coiled, tubelike organ that removes water from digested food. The remaini... See the entire definition of ColonColonoscopy: A procedure whereby a physician inserts a viewing tube (colonoscope) into the... See the entire definition of ColonoscopyConstipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. Constipation is the op... See the entire definition of ConstipationCT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a... See the entire definition of CT scanDepression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way... See the entire definition of DepressionDiagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ... See the entire definition of DiagnosisDiarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ... See the entire definition of DiarrheaDigestive system: The system of organs responsible for getting food into and out of the bo... See the entire definition of Digestive systemElavil: See: Amitriptyline. Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica... See the entire definition of Emergency departmentEndoscopy: Examination of the inside of the body by using a lighted, flexible instrument c... See the entire definition of EndoscopyFDA: Food and Drug Administration. Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr... See the entire definition of Fever
Fiber: The parts of fruits and vegetables that cannot be digested. Fiber is of vital impor... See the entire definition of FiberFlare: 1. an exacerbation of a chronic disease. Sometimes referred to as a flare-up, a fla... See the entire definition of FlareFlatulence: Excess gas in the intestinal tract. But excess flatulence is difficult to defi... See the entire definition of FlatulenceFlatus: Gas in the intestinal tract or gas passed through the anus. Intestinal gas contain... See the entire definition of FlatusGastroenteritis: Inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. Gastroenteritis can cause... See the entire definition of GastroenteritisGastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte... See the entire definition of GastrointestinalGI tract: Short for gastrointestinal tract. See: Gastrointestinal tract. Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ... See the entire definition of HeartHeart attack: The death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. The loss of bloo... See the entire definition of Heart attackIdiopathic: Of unknown cause. Any disease that is of uncertain or unknown origin may be te... See the entire definition of IdiopathicIncidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease or trait, appears in a pa... See the entire definition of IncidenceInflammatory bowel disease: A group of chronic intestinal diseases characterized by infla... See the entire definition of Inflammatory bowel diseaseLaboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a... See the entire definition of LaboratoryLactose: The sugar found in milk. Lactose is a large sugar molecule that is made up of two... See the entire definition of LactoseLactose intolerance: The inability to digest lactose, a component of milk and some other d... See the entire definition of Lactose intolerance
Laxative: Something that promotes emptying of the bowels. Laxatives are used to combat con... See the entire definition of LaxativeMucous: Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the b... See the entire definition of MucousMucus: A thick fluid that is produced by the lining of some organs of the body. Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in... See the entire definition of NauseaOnset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex... See the entire definition of OnsetPain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa... See the entire definition of PainPrescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev... See the entire definition of PrescriptionPrognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan... See the entire definition of PrognosisRectum: The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine. The rectum stores solid waste until... See the entire definition of RectumRule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera... See the entire definition of Rule outScan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of... See the entire definition of ScanSleep: The body's rest cycle. Spasm: A brief, automatic jerking movement. A muscle spasm can be quite painful, with the ... See the entire definition of SpasmSpastic colon: A term sometimes used to refer to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Although... See the entire definition of Spastic colonStomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp... See the entire definition of Stomach
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... See the entire definition of StressStroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood... See the entire definition of StrokeSyndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process. Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment. Trigger: Something that either sets off a disease in people who are genetically predispose... See the entire definition of TriggerUrine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm... See the entire definition of UrineWeight loss: Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (die... See the entire definition of Weight lossX-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used... See the entire definition of X-rayXylitol: A sweetener that is found in plants and used as a substitute for sugar. Xylitol i... See the entire definition of Xylitol
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