Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Terms You Should Know

• Bowel : The small or large intestine. 
  Colon : A portion of the large intestine not including the rectum 
  Colonoscopy : A medical test that uses an instrument to view the inside of the large intestine. 
  Constipation : The infrequent or difficult passage of hard, dry stools. 
  Descending colon : The portion of the large intestine just beyond the transverse colon that starts on the left side of the abdomen and moves down toward the sigmoid colon. 
  Diarrhoea : Loose or watery and often frequent bowel movements. 
  Gas : Gas that usually comes from swallowing air, the breakdown of food or both. 
  Gastric : Pertaining to the stomach
  Heartburn : A burning sensation in the chest that results when gastric acid backs up into the oesophagus.
  Hepatic : Pertaining to the liver.
  Ileum : The last portion of the small intestine. 
  Indigestion : A nonspecific term that refers to upper abdominal discomfort ( dyspepsia)
  Intestines : The portion of the digestive tract that extends from the stomach to the anus.
  Jejunum : The middle portion of the small intestine located between the duodenum and ileum. 
  Large intestine : A muscular tube that extends from the end of the small intestine (ileum) to the anus.
  Laxative : A medicine that helps relieve constipation.
  Nausea : An unpleasant sensation in the abdomen, which may be followed by vomiting. 
  Nonulcer dyspepsia : A common disorder in which the upper digestive tract produces symptoms such as pain, burning or discomfort in the upper abdomen, but tests fail to reveal a specific cause such a s peptic ulcer. 
  Peristalsis : Wave-like muscle contractions that spread or push food and liquid naturally through the digestive tract. 
  Rectum : The lowest portion of the large intestine that stores stool until it's expelled. 
  Reflux : Backflow.
  Regurgitation : Backflow.
  Sigmoid colon : The lower part of the large intestine that connects to the rectum.
  Stool : Waste products such as bacteria and food residue expelled from the body through the rectum and anus. Also referred to as faeces.