intestinal
Meaning of intestinal: As a modifier the word says little on its own; what matters is which segment of intestine a finding actually involves.
Definition of intestinal
Intestinal means relating to the intestines, the coiled tube running from the stomach to the anus. It divides into the small intestine, where most digestion and nutrient absorption happen, and the large intestine, which reclaims water and forms stool. The word attaches to anatomy, to function, and to disease, as in intestinal obstruction or intestinal infection.
Why does the segment matter so much?
Small intestinal and large intestinal are not interchangeable descriptions. The two segments do different work, so trouble in each produces a different pattern. The small intestine takes up nearly all the protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals from a meal, so disease there tends to appear as weight loss, nutrient deficiency, greasy stool, or diarrhea driven by material that was never absorbed. The large intestine handles water and stool formation, so disease there tends to appear as a change in bowel habit, urgency, mucus, or visible blood. Pain follows a similar rule, felt around the navel for the small intestine and lower in the abdomen for the large.
| Small intestinal | Large intestinal | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Nutrient absorption | Water reabsorption and stool formation |
| Lining | Folded into villi for surface area | Flat, with deep mucus-producing glands |
| Resident bacteria | Relatively few | A dense population of intestinal flora |
| Characteristic trouble | Malabsorption, obstruction | Altered bowel habit, bleeding |
What does the word cover in practice?
Intestinal is used in three broad ways. It labels structure, as in the intestinal wall or the intestinal lining. It labels function, as in intestinal motility, the coordinated squeezing that moves contents along. And it labels disease: intestinal obstruction, where the passage is blocked; intestinal inflammation, where the lining is irritated or damaged; and intestinal infection, where an organism has taken hold. Because the intestines govern both nutrition and fluid balance, intestinal disease often has effects well beyond the abdomen, including dehydration, disturbed electrolyte levels and weight loss.
Is intestinal the same as gastrointestinal?
Not quite. Gastrointestinal covers the whole digestive tract, from the mouth and esophagus through the stomach and onward to the anus. Intestinal refers only to the portion below the stomach. A gastrointestinal bleed might come from an ulcer in the stomach; an intestinal bleed could not. The narrower word is chosen once the location has been placed below the stomach, and in most reports it is then narrowed further still to name the segment involved.
Used in a sentence
Imaging was obtained to evaluate the patient for a suspected intestinal obstruction.
Good to know
Intestinal symptoms can arise from the small intestine, the large intestine, or both, and the pattern of symptoms, such as the character of the bowel changes, often helps localize which segment is involved.
Word origin
Where “intestinal” comes from
From Latin intestinum, meaning intestine, itself from intus, meaning within.