Urologic Dysfunction After Menopause 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 pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

Absorption: Uptake. For example, intestinal absorption is the uptake of food (or other sub...

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

Anatomy: The study of human or animal form, by observation or examination of the living be...

Anesthesia: Loss of feeling or awareness, as when an anesthetic is administered before sur...

Antibiotic: A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms. ...

Anticholinergic: Opposing the actions of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Anticholinerg...

Antidepressant: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

Antidepressants: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

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

Atrophy: A wasting away or diminution. Muscle atrophy is a decrease in muscle mass, often ...

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) ...

Bedwetting: Involuntary urination in bed. Bedwetting is called "enuresis," from the Gree...

Biofeedback: A method of treatment that uses a monitor to measure patients' physiologic in...

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

Bladder cancer: A common form of cancer that begins in the lining of the bladder. The most...

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

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

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

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, ...

Catheter: A thin, flexible tube.

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

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

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

Collagen: The principal protein of the skin, tendons, cartilage, bone, and connective tiss...

Cone: A type of specialized light-sensitive cell (photoreceptor) in the retina of the eye ...

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

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

Contraction: The tightening and shortening of a muscle.

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

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

Cymbalta: Brand name for duloxetine hydrochloride, a drug approved by the FDA to treat maj...

Cystitis: Inflammation of the bladder. Cystitis can be due for example to infection from ...

Cystocele: Bulging of the bladder into the vagina.

Cystoscopy: A procedure in which a lighted optical instrument called a cystoscope is inser...

Dehydration: Excessive loss of body water. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that ca...

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 ...

Duloxetine: See: Cymbalta.

Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.

Dyspareunia: Pain during sexual intercourse. There are many causes of dyspareunia, includi...

Dysuria: Pain during urination, or difficulty urinating. Dysuria is usually caused by infl...

ECG: Electrocardiogram.

Enuresis: Involuntary urination, which may be caused by a variety of factors. These incl...

Estrogen: A female steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts,...

FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

Female genitalia: The genital organs of the female. These are usually separated by conven...

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...

Genitalia: The male or female reproductive organs. The genitalia include internal and exte...

Heredity: The genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to child.

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

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

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

Implant: 1. To embed; to set in firmly. In embryology, the fertilized egg implants ...

Incision: A cut through skin or other tissue performed by a health care professional.

Incontinence: The inability to control excretions, to hold urine in the bladder, or to kee...

Incontinent: Unable to control excretions, to hold urine in the bladder, or to keep feces ...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Involuntary: Done other than in accordance with the conscious will of the individual. The ...

Kegel exercises: Exercises designed to increase muscle strength and elasticity in the fema...

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

Menopause: The time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop; it is also...

Microscopy: The examination of minute objects by means of a microscope, an instrument whic...

Micturition: Urination; the act of urinating.

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

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...

Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

Nocturnal enuresis: Bedwetting at night. From the Greek "enourin" meaning "to urinate i...

Obesity: The state of being well above one's normal weight.

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

Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

Overactive bladder: A sudden involuntary contraction of the muscular wall of the bladder c...

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

Painful urination: See: Dysuria.

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

Pelvic pain: : Pain perceived in the area of the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen loc...

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

Physical therapist: A person who is trained and certified by a state or accrediting body t...

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

Probe: (1) In surgery, a probe is a slender flexible rod with a blunt end used to e...

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

Prostate: A gland within the male reproductive system that is located just below the blad...

Pyelonephritis: Bacterial infection of the kidneys. Pyelonephritis can be acute or chronic...

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

Residual: Something left behind. With residual disease, the disease has not been eradicate...

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

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

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

Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming...

Sepsis: The presence of bacteria (bacteremia), other infectious organisms, or toxins creat...

Sickle cell disease: A genetic blood disorder caused by the presence of an abnormal form ...

Smooth muscle: Along with skeletal and cardiac muscle, one of the types of muscle tissue i...

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...

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...

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

Topical: Pertaining to a particular surface area. For example, a topical agent is applied ...

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

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

Urethritis: Inflammation of the urethra, the tube that leads from the bladder to the outsi...

Urge incontinence: A sudden involuntary contraction of the muscular wall of the bladder ca...

Urinalysis: A test that is done in order to analyze urine. Because toxins and excess fluid...

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

Urinary incontinence: The unintentional loss of urine. Inability to hold urine in the blad...

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...

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

Urologist: A physician who specializes in diseases of the urinary organs in females and th...

UTI: Urinary tract infection.

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

Voiding cystourethrogram: A test done to examine the bladder and urethra while the bladder...

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...