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Glite Dictionary
tenesmus

tenesmus

9.9
A painful tight feeling in the anus with a constant urgent need to pass stool
  • noun
  • /tɛˈnɛzməs/
  • NSFW
: tenesmo
  • Chronic tenesmus can be a symptom of underlying rectal inflammation or disease.

Examples

  • The patient complained of severe tenesmus after the procedure.

  • The patient was admitted with severe tenesmus following several days of abdominal pain.

  • After surgery, she reported episodes of tenesmus, which concerned her physician.

  • After eating spicy food, she experienced tenesmus.

  • The patient experienced tenesmus, feeling a constant urge to use the bathroom yet producing little stool.

  • After the surgery, she suffered from tenesmus, making her feel as though she needed to defecate repeatedly.

  • Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease report episodes of tenesmus that can be quite distressing.

How Severe

tenesmus
  • NSFW
9.9
urgency
129 3.3

Surface Forms

tenesmus singular
tenesmi plural

Etymology

Tenesmus comes from a Greek root teinein meaning 'to stretch' or 'to strain', and you can see the same idea in the English words tension and tense. So tenesmus names the painful 'straining' feeling and the urgent need to pass stool, often with little or nothing actually coming out.