Elimination Key Terms - lab 4

Anuria

Little to no urine production, usually

Borborygmus

Bowel sounds caused by movement of gas and fluid through the intestines.

Bowel incontinence

Inability to control or hold in stool.

Bowel obstruction

A blockage that prevents food, fluids, and gas from moving through the intestine.

Calculi

Stones that form in the urinary system (kidney stones, bladder stones).

Constipation

Infrequent or difficult bowel movements; stool is often hard/dry.

Creatinine clearance

Test used to estimate how well the kidneys filter blood.

Defecation

The process of passing stool/feces from the body.

Detrusor muscle

Muscle in the bladder wall that contracts to push urine out.

Dialysis

Treatment that removes waste and excess fluid when the kidneys cannot.

Diarrhea

Frequent passage of loose/watery stool.

Diuresis

Increased production of urine.

Diuretics

Medications that cause the kidneys to make more urine ("water pills").

Diverticula

Small pouches that push outward from the intestinal wall.

Diverticulitis

Inflammation/infection of diverticula.

Diverticulosis

Presence of diverticula without inflammation.

Dysuria

Painful or burning urination.

Elimination

Removal of waste products from the body through urine and feces.

Enuresis

Involuntary urination, especially in children.

Fecal incontinence

Inability to control bowel movements/stool.

Feces

Solid waste eliminated from the GI tract; poop.

Flatulence

Excess gas in the stomach/intestines.

Flatus

Gas passed through the rectum.

Gastrocolic reflex

Eating stimulates the colon to move, often causing the urge to have a bowel movement.

Glycosuria

Glucose (sugar) in the urine.

Hemodialysis

Dialysis where blood is removed from the body, filtered by a machine, and returned.

Hernia

An organ/tissue pushes through a weak area in surrounding muscle or tissue.

Ileus

Decreased or absent intestinal movement, causing food/gas to stop moving normally.

Laxatives

Medications that help promote bowel movements.

Meatus

An opening where something exits the body; urinary meatus is where urine leaves.

Meconium

A newborn's first stool; thick, sticky, and dark green/black.

Micturition

The medical term for urination.

Neurogenic bladder

Bladder dysfunction caused by a nerve problem, making bladder control difficult.

Nocturia

Waking up during the night to urinate.

Nocturnal enuresis

Bed-wetting during sleep, usually referring to children.

Oliguria

Decreased urine output, generally

Peristalsis

Wave-like muscle contractions that move food/stool through the GI tract.

Peritoneal dialysis

Dialysis that uses the peritoneum in the abdomen as a filter to remove waste.

Polydipsia

Excessive thirst.

Polyuria

Excessive urine production, commonly >3 L/day in adults.

Renal failure

Kidneys are unable to adequately filter waste and regulate fluid/electrolytes.

Residual urine

Urine left in the bladder after urination.

Stool

Another term for feces/poop.

Striae

Stretch marks caused by stretching of the skin.

Urgency

A sudden, strong need to urinate.

Urinary frequency

Needing to urinate more often than usual.

Urinary hesitancy

Difficulty starting the urine stream.

Urination

The process of passing urine from the bladder.

Voiding

Another term for urination.

Urethra

The tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.