Ulcerative Colitis 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.

Acne: Localized skin inflammation as a result of overactivity of the oil glands at the ba...

Acupuncture: The practice of inserting needles into the body to reduce pain or induce anes...

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

Albumen: The white of an egg, the part of the egg from which meringues are made. Albus in ...

Anastomosis: The connection of normally separate parts. An anastomosis may be naturally oc...

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

Ankylosing: Having a tendency to stiffen and fuse together.

Ankylosing spondylitis: A form of chronic inflammation of the spine and the sacroiliac joi...

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

Anxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa...

Back pain: Pain felt in the low or upper back. Causes of pain in the low and upper back in...

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

Barium: 1. A metallic element belonging to the alkaline earths with an atomic numbe...

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

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

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

Bone density: Bone density is the amount of bone tissue in a certain volume of bone. It ca...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

C-reactive protein: An acute-phase plasma protein whose blood concentration reflects the p...

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

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...

Cholangitis: Inflammation of the bile duct. From cholangi-, pertaining to a bile duct + -i...

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

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...

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...

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...

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

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 ...

CRP: C-reactive protein.

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. ...

Drain: A device for removing fluid from a cavity or wound. A drain is typically a tube or ...

Dry mouth: The condition of not having enough saliva to keep the mouth wet. This is due to...

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

Dysplasia: Abnormality in form or development. For example, retinal dysplasia is abnormal ...

Electrolyte: A substance that dissociates into ions in solution and acquires the capacity ...

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

Erythema: Redness of the skin that results from capillary congestion. Erythema can occur w...

Erythrocyte: A cell that contains hemoglobin and can carry oxygen to the body. Also called...

Familial: A condition that tends to occur more often in family members than is expected by...

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

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...

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

Fluoroscopy: An x-ray procedure that makes it possible to see internal organs in motion.

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...

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

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

Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic
information.

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Heartburn: An uncomfortable feeling of burning and warmth occurring in waves rising up be...

Hemorrhoids: Dilated (enlarged) veins in the walls of the anus and sometimes around the re...

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

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...

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

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 ...

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...

Iritis: Inflammation of the iris. The iris is the circular, colored curtain in the front o...

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...

Lactose: The sugar found in milk. Lactose is a large sugar molecule that is made up of two...

Lactose intolerance: The inability to digest lactose, a component of milk and some other d...

Large bowel: Another name for the large intestine.

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

Lethargy: Abnormal drowsiness, stupor.

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 ...

Membrane: A very thin layer of tissue that covers a 'surface.

Mercaptopurine: A drug that acts as an antimetabolite, interfering with the metabolism of ...

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...

Mucus: 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...

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

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

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...

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

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

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

Potassium: The major positive ion (cation) found inside cells. The chemical notation for p...

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

Primary sclerosing cholangitis: A chronic disorder of the liver of uncertain cause in whic...

Probiotics: live microorganisms (usually bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microor...

Proctitis: Inflammation of the rectum. Proctitis may be due to a considerable number of ca...

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

Protein: One of the three nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Protein...

Pus: A thick, whitish-yellow fluid that results from the accumulation of white blood cells...

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...

Referral: The recommendation of a medical or paramedical professional. If you get a refer...

Regimen: A plan or a regulated course, such as a diet, exercise, or treatment, that is des...

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...

Resistance: Opposition to something, or the ability to withstand something. For example, s...

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

Sclerosing cholangitis: See: Primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Sedimentation rate: A blood test that detects and monitors inflammation in the body. Abbre...

Sibling: A brother or sister.

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

Small bowel: Another name for the small intestine.

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...

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

Spondylitis: Inflammation of one or more of the vertebrae of the spine. Diffuse inflammati...

Steroid: One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon struc...

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...

Supportive care: Treatment given to prevent, control, or relieve complications and side ef...

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.

Tenesmus: Straining to defecate or urinate. Tenesmus refers especially to ineffectual and ...

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

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

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

Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be ...

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

Ulcerative proctitis:Ulcerative colitis that is limited to the rectum.

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

Uveitis: Inflammation of the uvea. Uveitis is a serious form of eye inflammation and requi...

Vertebrae: The preferred plural of vertebra. (The alternate plural is vertebras.) See also...

Virus: A microorganism that is smaller than a bacterium that cannot grow or reproduce apar...