IBD facts
Glossary
This glossary lists many of the words you may come across when you
are researching your condition.
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5-ASA: 5-Aminosalicylic acid or mesalazine. 5-ASA is delivered to the small and large intestine where it is active against the inflammation seen in inflammatory bowel disease.
Abscess: A localised collection of pus in a cavity formed by the decay of diseased tissues.
Acute: Sudden onset of symptoms (as in an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) relapse).
Aetiology: Cause.
Anaemia: A reduction in the number of red blood cells in the body, which results in insufficient oxygen being carried by the blood to the organs of the body.
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Anastomosis: The joining together of two ends of healthy
bowel after diseased bowel has been cut out (resected) by the surgeon.
Ankylosing spondylitis: Chronic
inflammatory disease of the spine and nearby joints which can cause
pain and stiffness in the spine, neck, hips, jaw and rib cage.
Antigens: Foreign substances within
the body that are recognised by the immune system and are capable
of inducing an immune reaction.
Anus: The opening to the back passage.
Arthralgia: Pains in the joints.
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Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint(s) causing pain, swelling and stiffness.
Ascending colon: The portion of bowel extending from
the caecum to the hepatic flexure.
Balloon catheter: An inflatable plastic cylinder mounted
on a thin tube and used for dilating narrowed areas of the intestine.
Biopsy: Removal of small pieces
of tissue from parts of the body (e.g. colon - colonic biopsy) for
examination under the microscope to diagnose disease, or determine
disease progression.
Bulking agent: An artificial form
of fibre made into tablets, granules or a power (to be mixed with
water). Bulking agents are used to regulate bowel movements, to
treat either constipation or diarrhoea, by varying the amount of
liquid taken with them.
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Bulk laxative: see laxative.
Caecum: The first part of the large intestine. It is
a blind-ending pouch at the junction between the small and large intestines.
Chronic: Symptoms occurring over a long period of time.
Cobblestoning: Characteristic appearance of the intestinal
lining in Crohn's disease. The 'cobblestone' effect is the result of deep ulceration and swelling of the surrounding tissue.
Colitis: Inflammation of the colon.
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Colon: The large intestine. It extends from the caecum
to the rectum and has ascending, transverse and descending portions.
Colonoscopy: Inspection of the colon by an illuminated flexible tube called a colonoscope.
Colostomy: Surgical creation of an opening between the
colon and the surface of the body. Part of the colon is brought out onto the abdomen to create a stoma. A bag is placed over this
to collect waste material.
Constipation: Infrequency or difficulty in the passage
of bowel motions.
Corticosteroids: Natural substances
produced by the body that act against the inflammation seen in inflammatory
bowel disease.
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Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI): Measurement of the severity of active disease using symptom scores that are monitored over 1 week.
CT scan: Computerised tomography scan. A specialised form of X-ray examination that produces cross-sectional images of the body.
Defaecation: The act of passing faeces.
Descending colon: The portion of bowel between the splenic flexure and the sigmoid colon.
Diarrhoea: An increase in frequency,
liquidity and weight of bowel motions (normal production < 200
g in 24 hours).
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Distal: Further down the bowel towards
the anus.
Diverticulum (plural diverticula): Small pouch-like
projection in the wall of the intestine; may become infected, causing diverticulitis.
Dysplasia: An abnormality in the
development of adult cells, leading to an alteration in cell size,
shape or organisation.
Dysuria: Pain on urination.
Electrolytes: Salts in the blood,
e.g. sodium, potassium, calcium.
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Elemental diet: A liquid diet containing
simple forms of protein, carbohydrates and fats, which can be absorbed
without further digestion. Elemental diets are usually consumed
for two weeks before normal foods are re-introduced in a systematic
way.
Enema: A liquid (e.g. barium) introduced
into the rectum for treatment, diagnostic purposes or to stimulate
the production of a bowel motion.
Endoscopy: A collective name for all visual inspections
of body cavities with an illuminated flexible tube. Examples are: colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy.
Erythema nodosum: Red, tender swellings occasionally
seen on the shins and lower legs during a flare-up of inflammatory bowel disease. They usually subside when the disease is in remission.
Erythrocytes: Red cells in the blood
that carry oxygen.
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Exclusion diet: A diet that initially
excludes a number of foods that have been found to provoke symptoms
in the majority of individuals with food sensitivities. The excluded
foods are then re-introduced one by one and if symptoms re-occur
that food is excluded for a longer period (usually one year).
Exacerbation: An aggravation of
symptoms.
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