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NexiumResearch DefinitionsGlossarySome words have many meanings. A term will refer the reader to another definition only when the second definition gives additional information about a topic that is directly related to the first term. All Definitions A - H All Definitions Q - Z All Definitions I - P I J K L M N O P I Idiopathic Of, relating to, or designating a disease having unknown cause. Ileum Pronounced - il-ee-um The lower end of the small intestine. Immunocompromised Having an immune system that has been impaired by disease or treatment. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) An antibody containing substance produced by human plasma cells in diseased central nervous system plaques. Levels of IgG are increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of most MS patients. Immunosuppression Pronounced - IH-myoo-noh-suh-PREH-shun Suppression of the immune system functions and its ability to fight infections and other diseases. Many medications under investigation for the treatment of MS are immunosuppressants. Immunosuppressive Pronounced - IH-myoo-noh-suh-PREH-siv Describes the ability to decrease the body's immune system responses. Inflammation Inflammation is used to describe an area on the body that is swollen, red, hot, and in pain. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Pronounced - in-FLAM-uh-toh-ree BAH-wul duh-zeez Long lasting problems that cause irritation and ulcers in the Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract. The most common disorders are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Inherit In genetics (genetics is the study of inheritance patterns of specific traits), to receive genetic material from your parents through biological processes. Insoluble Fiber Insoluble fiber often called roughage, does not dissolve in water, passes essentially unchanged through the intestines and produces little gas. Insouble fiber helps move waste through the digestive tract decreasing the time that potentially harmful substances may stay in the colon. Found in wheat bran and some vegetables. Interferon Pronounced - in-ter-FEER-on A biological response modifier (a substance that can improve the body's natural response to infections and other diseases). Interferons interfere with the division of cancer cells and can slow tumor growth. There are several types of interferons, including interferon-alpha, -beta, and -gamma. The body normally produces these substances. They are also made in the laboratory to treat cancer and other diseases. Intermittent Stopping and starting at intervals, recurring or reappearing from time to time. Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction Pronounced - in-TES-tuh-nul SOO-doh ub-STRUK-shun A disorder that causes symptoms of blockage, but when the intestines are examined, no blockage is found. Causes constipation, vomiting, and pain. More about Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction Intestine The long, tube-shaped organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion. Also called the bowel. There are both large and small intestines. Intravenous Pronounced - IN-truh-VEE-nus Into or within a vein. Intravenous usually refers to a way of giving a drug or other substance through a needle or tube inserted into a vein. Also called I.V. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Pronounced - EER-uh-tuh-bul BAH-wul sin-drohm A disorder that comes and goes. Nerves that control the muscles in the Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract are too active. The Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract becomes sensitive to food, stool, gas, and stress. Causes abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation or diarrhea. Also called spastic colon or mucous colitis. I.V. Into or within a vein. I.V. usually refers to a way of giving a drug or other substance through a needle or tube inserted into a vein. Also called intravenous. Back To Top J Jaundice Pronounced - JAWN-dus Jaundice is a symptom of many disorders. Jaundice causes the skin and eyes to turn yellow from too much bilirubin in the blood. Jejunostomy Pronounced - juh-joo-NAW-stuh-mee An operation to create an opening of the jejunum to a hole (stoma) in the abdomen. Jejunum Pronounced - juh-JOON-um The middle section of the small intestine between the duodenum and ileum. K Kidney One of two bean shaped organs that filter wastes from the blood. The kidneys are located near the middle of the back. They create urine, which is delivered to the bladder through tubes called ureters. Koilonychia Pronounced - koil-O-nik-E Abnormal thinness and concavity of fingernails occurring especially in hypochromic anemias - also called spoon nails. Kupffer's Cells Pronounced - KOOP-furz selz Cells that line the liver. These cells remove waste such as bacteria from the blood. Back To Top L Large Intestine Pronounced - LARJ in-TES-tin The part of the intestine that goes from the cecum to the rectum. The large intestine absorbs water from stool and changes it from a liquid to a solid form. The large intestine is 5 feet long and includes the appendix, cecum, colon, and rectum. Also called colon. Laryngospasm A closure of the larynx that blocks the passage of air to the lungs. This syndrome results from a spasm in the adductor muscles, the muscles closing or bringing the vocal folds together. As soon as your voice box or the area of the windpipe below the voicebox detects the entry of water or other substance, the vocal folds spasm shut.This works very well to keep water out of the lungs if you start to drown or to keep out that bug that flew down your throat while you were starting to inhale. Those are the benefits, but they make breathing in very difficult. It can happen even when only the sensation is present of something other than air entering the windpipe. Symptoms of Laryngospasm
The larynx is the portion of the breathing, or respiratory, tract containing the vocal cords which produce vocal sound. It is located between the pharynx and the trachea. The larynx, also called the voice box, is a 2 inch long, tube shaped organ in the neck. Laser Therapy The use of an intensely powerful beam of light to kill cancer cells. Lesion An abnormal change in the structure of an organ due to disease or injury. Liver Pronounced - LIH-vur The largest organ in the body. The liver carries out many important functions, such as making bile, changing food into energy, and cleaning alcohol and poisons from the blood. Lower Esophageal Sphincter Pronounced - LOH-wur uh-saw-fuh-JEE-ul SFEENK-tur The muscle between the esophagus and stomach. When a person swallows, this muscle relaxes to let food pass from the esophagus to the stomach. It stays closed at other times to keep stomach contents from flowing back into the esophagus. 
Lupus Lupus (also called systemic lupus erythematosus) is a disorder of the immune system. Normally, the immune system protects the body against invading infections and cancers. In lupus, the immune system is over active and produces increased amounts of abnormal antibodies that attack the body's tissues and organs. Lupus can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, nervous system, and blood vessels. The signs and symptoms of lupus differ from person to person, the disease can range from mild to life threatening. More about Lupus Lyme Disease Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial organism that is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected tick. Most people bitten by an infected tick develop a characteristic skin rash around the area of the bite. The rash may feel hot to the touch, and vary in size, shape, and color, but it will often have a "bull's eye" appearance (a red ring with a clear center). However, there are those who will not develop the rash, which makes Lyme disease hard to diagnose because its symptoms and signs mimic those of many other diseases. More about Lyme Disease Lymph Node Pronounced - limf node A rounded mass of lymphatic tissue that is surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue. Lymph nodes filter lymph (lymphatic fluid), and they store lymphocytes (white blood cells). They are located along lymphatic vessels. Also called a lymph gland. Lymphatic system Pronounced - lim-FAT-ik SIS-tem The tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry white blood cells that fight infections and other diseases. This system includes the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and lymphatic vessels (a network of thin tubes that carry lymph and white blood cells). Lymphatic vessels branch, like blood vessels, into all the tissues of the body. Lymphoma Tumor of the lymphoid tissue. Diagnosis is by biopsy. Treatment may be chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or medication, depending on the age of the patient and type of tumor. Back To Top M Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Pronounced - mag-NEH-tik REH-zuh-nunts IH-muh-jing A non-invasive scanning technique that enables investigators to see and track, for example, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) lesions as they evolve. MRI is a procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. MRI makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or x-ray. MRI imaging is especially useful for imaging the brain, the spine, the soft tissue of joints, and the inside of bones. Also called MRI, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging or NMRI. 
Malignant Pronounced - ma-LIG-nant Cancerous. Malignant tumors can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body. Malnutrition Poor nutrition because of an insufficient or poorly balanced diet or faulty digestion or utilization of foods. Metastasis Pronounced - meh-TAS-ta-sis The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. A tumor formed from cells that have spread is called a secondary tumor, a metastatic tumor, or a metastasis. The secondary tumor contains cells that are like those in the original (primary) tumor. The plural form of metastasis is metastases (Pronounced - meh-TAS-ta-seez). Molecule The smallest particle of a substance that retains the chemical and physical properties of the substance and is composed of two or more atoms. Motility Pronounced - moh-TIL-uh-tee The movement of food through the digestive tract. Motility Disorders Pronounced - moh-TIL-uh-tee dis-or-durz Disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. These conditions result from poor nerve and muscle function. Symptoms such as gas, pain, constipation, and diarrhea come back again and again, but there are no signs of disease or damage. Emotional stress can trigger symptoms. Also called functional disorders. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) A procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. MRI makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or x-ray. MRI is especially useful for imaging the brain, the spine, the soft tissue of joints, and the inside of bones. Also called magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging or NMRI.
Mucosa Having to do with a mucous membrane (Mucous: Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the body). Myelin Pronounced - MY-eh-lin A fatty covering insulating nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord, myelin facilitates the smooth, high-speed transmission of electrochemical messages between these components of the central nervous system and the rest of the body. In MS, myelin is damaged through a process known as demyelination, which results in distorted or blocked signals. Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) A major component of myelin. When myelin breakdown occurs, as in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), MBP can often be found in abnormally high levels in the patient's cerebrospinal fluid. When injected into laboratory animals, MBP induces experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, a chronic (lasting a long time) brain and spinal cord disease similar to MS. Back To Top N Neurological Having to do with the nerves or the nervous system. Nissen Fundoplication Pronounced - NIH-sun FUN-doh-plih-KAY-shun An operation to sew the top of the stomach (fundus) around the esophagus. Used to stop stomach contents from flowing back into the esophagus (reflux) and to repair a hiatal hernia. 
Non-Invasive Pronounced - NON-in-VAY-siv In medicine, for example, non-invasive describes a procedure that does not require inserting an instrument through the skin or into a body opening. In cancer, non-invasive describes disease that has not spread outside the tissue in which it began. Back To Top O Obstruction Pronounced - ub-STRUK-shun A blockage in the GI tract that prevents the flow of liquids or solids. Oligodendrocyte The cells that make and maintain myelin in the central nervous system. Optic Neuritis An inflammatory disorder of the optic nerve that usually occurs in only one eye and causes visual loss and sometimes blindness. It is generally temporary. Origin The beginning of existence of something. Oropharynx The area of the throat that is at the back of the mouth. The oropharynx is in contrast to the nasopharynx, the part of the throat that lies behind the nose. Ostomy Pronounced - AH-stuh-mee An operation that makes it possible for stool to leave the body through an opening made in the abdomen. An ostomy is necessary when part or all of the intestines are removed. Colostomy and ileostomy are types of ostomy. Otolaryngologist Pronounced oh-toe-lair-in-goll-oh-jest Doctors trained in the medical and surgical management and treatment of patients with diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT), and related structures of the head and neck. They are commonly referred to as ENT physicians. Back To Top P Pancreas Pronounced - PAN-kree-ahs A gland that makes enzymes for digestion and the hormone insulin. Parasitic Pronounced - PAYR-uh-SIH-tik Having to do with or being a parasite. A parasite is an animal or plant that gets nutrients by living on or in an organism of another species (host). A complete parasite gets all of its nutrients from the host organism, but a semi-parasite gets only some of its nutrients from the host. Paresthesias Abnormal sensations such as numbness, prickling, or "pins and needles." Pathogenesis The origin and development of any disease condition. Pepsin Pronounced - PEP-sin An enzyme made in the stomach that breaks down proteins. Peptic Pronounced - PEP-tik Related to the stomach and the duodenum, where pepsin is present. Peptic Ulcer Pronounced - PEP-tik UL-sur A sore in the lining of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum. Usually caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. An ulcer in the stomach is a gastric ulcer; an ulcer in the duodenum is a duodenal ulcer. 
Pharyngeal Having to do with the throat (pharynx). Pharynx Pronounced - FAR-ingks The space behind the mouth. Serves as a passage for food from the mouth to the esophagus and for air from the nose and mouth to the larynx. Photodynamic Therapy Pronounced - foe-toe-dye-NAM-ik Treatment with drugs that become active when exposed to light. These drugs kill cancer cells. Plaques Patchy areas of inflammation and demyelination typical of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), plaques disrupt or block nerve signals that would normally pass through the regions affected by the plaques. Prokinetic Drugs Pronounced - PROH-kih-NET-ik drugz Medicines that cause muscles in the GI tract to move food. Prolong To extend in time, continue, lengthen, to make something last longer. Protein A molecule made up of amino acids that are needed for the body to function properly. Proteins are the basis of body structures such as skin, hair and of substances such as enzymes, cytokines, and antibodies. Pyloric Stenosis Pronounced - py-LOR-ik stuh-NOH-sis A narrowing of the opening between the stomach and the small intestine. Back To Top |
Aciphex - Rabeprazole Prevacid - Lansoprazole Prilosec - Omeprazole Prilosec OCT Protonix - Pantoprazole
Causes of GERD Diet for GERD Infant GERD Children 1 - 11 Years Old Medication for GERD Symptoms of GERD GERD Surgery GERD Treatment
Causes of Heartburn Symptoms of Heartburn Heartburn Medications Heartburn Remedy
Lump In Throat Proton Pump Inhibitors Remedies for GERD
Hair Removal HGH |
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