DISTENSION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does distension mean? 

• DISTENSION (noun)
  The noun DISTENSION has 2 senses:

1. the act of expanding by pressure from within

2. the state of being stretched beyond normal dimensions

  Familiarity information: DISTENSION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISTENSION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of expanding by pressure from within

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

distension; distention

Hypernyms ("distension" is a kind of...):

enlargement; expansion (the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope)

Derivation:

distend (swell from or as if from internal pressure)

distend (become wider)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The state of being stretched beyond normal dimensions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

dilatation; distension; distention

Hypernyms ("distension" is a kind of...):

physical condition; physiological condition; physiological state (the condition or state of the body or bodily functions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "distension"):

tympanites (distension of the abdomen that is caused by the accumulation of gas in the intestines or the peritoneal cavity)

ectasia; ectasis (dilatation or distension of a hollow organ)

varicocele (dilatation of the veins associated with the spermatic cord in the testes)

Derivation:

distend (swell from or as if from internal pressure)

distend (become wider)

 Context examples 

It usually affects postmenopausal women and presents with abdominal pain, abdominal distension or genital bleeding.

(Fallopian Tube Carcinosarcoma, NCI Thesaurus)

Signs and symptoms include nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain and distension, urinary retention, port-wine urine discoloration, hypertension, tachycardia, muscle weakness, loss of sensation, anxiety, depression, and arm, leg and back pain.

(Acute Intermittent Porphyria, NCI Thesaurus)

Physician documentation or report of any of the following symptoms of heart failure prior to this care encounter described as unusual dyspnea on light exertion, recurrent dyspnea occurring in the supine position, fluid retention, low cardiac output secondary to cardiac dysfunction; or the description of rales, jugular venous distension, or pulmonary edema.

(History of Heart Failure, NCI Thesaurus)

Clinical symptoms of heart failure include: unusual dyspnea on light exertion, recurrent dyspnea occurring in the supine position, fluid retention or rales, jugular venous distension, pulmonary edema on physical exam, or pulmonary edema on chest x-ray presumed to be cardiac dysfunction.

(Heart Failure, NCI Thesaurus)