tenesmus

American  

[tuh-nez-muhs, -nes-] / təˈnɛz məs, -ˈnɛs- /

noun

Pathology.

1. a straining to urinate or defecate, without the ability to do so.

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tenesmus British  

/ tɪˈnɛzməs, -ˈnɛs- /

noun

1. pathol an ineffective painful straining to empty the bowels in response to the sensation of a desire to defecate, without producing a significant quantity of faeces

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Other Word Forms

• tenesmic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of tenesmus

1520–30; < Medieval Latin, variant of Latin tēnesmos < Greek teinesmós, equivalent to teín ( ein ) to stretch + -esmos noun suffix

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tenesmus

The pressure of the growth may cause dysmenorrhoea, or pressure on the bladder and rectum may cause dysuria, retention or rectal tenesmus.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 7 "Gyantse" to "Hallel" by Various

It acts as an irritant to the digestive tract, causing dribbling of ropy saliva from the mouth, diarrhea, tenesmus, and loss of appetite, with increased temperature and cold extremities.

From Special Report on Diseases of Cattle by United States. Bureau of Animal Industry

The man, however, was suffering from a slight attack of dysentery, passing blood and mucus per rectum with great tenesmus.

From Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre by George Henry Makins

Symptoms.—Burning pain and constriction in throat and gullet, pain and tenderness of stomach and bowels, intense thirst, nausea, vomiting, purging and tenesmus, with bloody stools, dysuria, cold skin, and feeble and irregular pulse.

From Aids to Forensic Medicine and Toxicology by W. G. Aitchison (William George Aitchison ) Robertson

Of tenesmus I happened to hear of but a single instance, though the Laplanders eat so much cheese and drink water.

From Lachesis Lapponica A Tour in Lapland by Carl von Linn?

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