Irritable Bowel Syndrome Glossary: Terms Related to IBS
Abdomen (AB-doh-men):
The area of the stomach.
Barium Enema:
An x-ray examination of the colon and rectum after liquid barium has been infused through the rectum.
Bowel:
The part of the digestive system that makes and stores stool. It is also called the large intestine.
Colon:
The large intestine.
Colonoscopy:
A test in which a flexible, lighted tube is inserted through the rectum to examine the colon.
Distension:
An uncomfortable swelling feeling in the abdomen, is often caused by excessive amounts of gas and fluids in the intestine.
Endoscopy:
The examination of the inside of a hollow organ, such as the bowel, using special lighted tubes.
Exacerbation:
Aggravation of symptoms or an increase in disease activity; a relapse.
Fissure:
A crack in the skin, usually in an area of the anus.
Functional:
Refers to how something works.
Gastroenterologist:
A physician is specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with gastrointestinal disease.
Gut:
The general word for intestine or bowel.
IBD:
Acronym for inflammatory bowel disease.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD):
A collective term for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
Altered motility of the small and large intestine, causing diarrhea and abdominal discomfort. Sometimes mistakenly called 'spastic colitis,' this condition does not cause inflammation of the colon and has no relationship to ulcerative colitis.
Lactose Deficiency/Lactose Intolerance:
A condition caused by a decrease or absence of the enzyme lactase, which aids in the digestion of milk sugar (lactose).
Motility:
Movement of the muscles that propel food through the intestinal tract.
Mucus:
A whitish substance produced by the intestine, which may be found in the stool.
Upper G.I. Series:
An x-ray exam of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum was performed in the fasting patients after the ingestion of liquid barium. The duration of the exam can be prolonged to allow for visualization of the entire small intestine, including the terminal ileum. The x-ray is then known as an upper G.I. series with small-bowel follow-through.