Word parts
What it means
Describes the organs inside the body cavities (the viscera) and the coverings that sit directly on them. Visceral pain comes from organs: it is often dull, cramping and hard to pinpoint, and it may be felt in another place (referred pain), such as heart pain felt in the arm. Visceral fat is fat packed around the abdominal organs, linked to heart disease and diabetes.
At a glance
| Spanish | visceral |
|---|---|
| Also written | viscera |
Related terms
metabolic syndrome
A group of risk factors, such as a large waist, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and abnormal blood fats, occurring together.
abdominal
Having to do with the abdomen, the part of the body between the chest and the pelvis; the belly.
pleural
Having to do with the pleura, the thin two-layer membrane that covers the lungs and lines the chest wall.