Cancer Pain
Glossary
Abnormal bleeding - Bleeding from the vagina that is different than your regular monthly periods. For example, monthly periods that are much heavier or longer than normal, bleeding between periods and irregular periods. It is also called “dysfunctional uterine bleeding”
Abortive Agents – Medications used to reverse, stop or reduce headaches once they start
Acromegaly – Excess growth hormone
Acute – Sudden or rapid onset; short-term; occurring at the beginning
Acute inflammation – Inflammation that occurs right after injury or damage to the tissue
Acute pain – Sharp or intense pain
Acute rhinosinusitis (Acute RS) – New irritation and swelling inside the nose and/or sinuses. Acute RS can include a new infection or inflammation in the nose and/or sinuses; It can also include new inflammation and/or infection in a person with chronic rhinosinusitis
Adhesions – Scar tissue that grows in the joints, causing pain and limited movement
Allodynia – Over-sensitive; for example, a light touch or cool breeze may cause pain for a person with allodynia
Analgesics – Also referred to as pain-relievers or "pain-killers," some types of these medications can be purchased off the grocery or drugstore shelf, while other — stronger — analgesics require prescriptions
Anemia – Condition characterized by too few red blood cells
Aneurysm – An enlarged area of an artery caused by weakness or disease
Ankylosing spondylitis – Chronic inflammatory condition that primarily affects spinal and hip joints
Anorexia – Not hungry, loss of appetite
Anti-convulsants – Medicine that is given for seizure (epileptic) disorders but has also been found to help treat some types of pain and headaches
Anti-depressants – Medicine that is given for depression and related mood disorders but has also been found to help treat some types of pain and headaches
Anti-histamines – Medication that stops or reverses the effects of histamines in your body (e.g., watery, itchy eyes, runny nose, stuffiness) when you have a cold or allergy
Anti-inflammatory medications – Medication that decreases redness, irritation and swelling
Anti-oxidant – Compound that helps prevent damage to healthy cells in the body
Anus – Opening in the rectum where bowel movements come out of the body
Artery – Blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the body tissues
Arthritis – Inflammation of a joint
Asthenia – Weakness; loss of strength
Aura – Specific neurological symptoms that accompany certain types of migraine headaches. The most common aura symptoms are visual, such as bright zigzag lines, sparkling moving figures, blind spots and distorted objects
Autogenic training – Changing the way your entire body responds to stress
Autoimmune disorder – A disorder where the body fights against itself
Autonomic – Automatic function
Autonomic nervous system – The part of the nervous systems that passes information from your brain stem and spinal cord to your body organs. It controls the functions of your body that are automatic--functions in your body that you don’t think about because they happen naturally. For example, the ANS controls your breathing, heart beat, sweating, blood pressure, swallowing, eye blinking and more
Beta blockers – Medicine that is commonly used to treat heart arrhythmias and high blood pressure but has also been found to help treat some types of headaches
Bite – The way your upper teeth fit together and line up with your lower teeth
Blood vessels – Arteries and veins
Botox – Botox, or botulinum toxin type A, is a medication that is used to relax or disable small parts of a muscle for up to several months
(TMD) Botox – Botox, or botulinum toxin type A, is a medication that is used to disable small parts of a muscle for up to several months. It may also be used to treat severe tooth clenching and grinding (called bruxism) if other more conservative treatments fail. The use of Botox is not as well researched as other medications for treating myofascial trigger points
Brachial plexus – Network of nerves that control muscles and sensation in the shoulder, arm and hand
Bruxism – Tooth clenching and grinding
Cachexia – Weight loss, loss of appetite and general wasting away due to chronic illness
Cartilage – Tough connective tissue that is found on the ends of joints; helps the bones within the joint to move smoothly against each other
Central nervous system (CNS) – The brain and spinal cord
Central sensitivity syndromes (CSS) – Medical problems that happen due to a problem with pain processing in the central nervous system (CNS)
Cerebral angiography – A test during that involves injecting dye into the blood vessels of the brain and taking x-rays to check their condition
Cervical – Relating to the neck
Cervical disc – Spongy cushion between the vertebrae
Chronic – Long-term
Chronic CH – People with chronic CH have one of the following:
- Cluster periods that last more than 1 year with no remission period
- Cluster periods that are separated by remission periods of less than 1 month
Chronic headaches/Chronic TTH – Daily or almost-daily headaches that occur on 15 or more days per month for at least 3 months
Chronic low back pain – Low back pain that lasts for at least 3 months
Chronic prostatitis – Long-term inflammation of the prostate
Coagulated – Clotted
Cognitive restructuring – Helps a person change their thoughts about stress
Complementary techniques (complementary therapies) – Therapies such as biofeedback, physical therapy, acupuncture, etc. for controlling pain
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) – A chronic pain disorder, usually arising from injury, in which pain is worse than expected for the injury and continues long after the injury should have healed
Complications of epidural steroid injection – Headache, water retention or sweating. More severe, but rare complications include systemic overdose of steroid and body damage due to this overdose, nerve damage, spinal cord damage, weakness of the legs or arms due to nerve or spinal cord damage, or paralysis due to injury of the spinal cord
Complications of ONS – Complications include lead migration, battery running out, tingling, need to adjust stimulator; infection, allergy
Compounding pharmacy – A pharmacy that can make special mixtures of drugs that are prescribed by a physician to meet unique individual patient needs
Compressed (compress, compression) – Pinched or squeezed
(TMD) Compression – Undue pressure often caused by tooth or jaw grinding and clenching
Conservative therapies (conservative treatments) – Non-surgical treatments; treatments that do not involve surgery
Congenital – Present at birth; something you were born with
Constrict – Become narrower or smaller
(TMD) Conservative therapies – Therapies that do not involve surgery or permanent changes to the mouth or jaw. Examples include behavior modification, physical therapy, medication, jaw exercises and orthotics (splints) that prevent teeth/jaw clenching and grinding
Constricted pupil – The pupil, or middle black portion of the eye, becomes very small
Continuous – Continues; does not go away
Core stability (core strength) – Strength of the lower back and trunk (abdominal) muscles—the muscles in the “core” or center of your body. Building strong trunk and back muscles provides protection and support, helps you with movement and keeps your spine aligned. Strong core muscles can help decrease your chances of back injury and pain
Cranial Nerves – Cranial nerves are part of the peripheral nervous system. They are the nerves of the head, face, mouth and neck. There are 12 sets or “pairs” of cranial nerves. For example, the trigeminal nerve (also called the 5th cranial nerve) is actually a pair of nerves—one is on the left side of the face; one is on the right
Cryotherapy (cryosurgery) – Procedure that freezes the pain-causing nerve
CT scan – Also called “computerized axial tomography.” This test uses special x-rays to take pictures from many different angles. A computer then combines the pictures to show a “cross-section” of the body area being examined
(Sinus headache) CT scan – A test that shows the soft tissue of the nose, paranasal sinuses and brain
Cushing’s syndrome – A disorder caused by having to too much cortisol (a steroid) in your body. Symptoms include puffy face, bruising, thinner skin, weakness and diabetes
Deconditioning – Feeling “out of shape” and having less endurance and energy
Degeneration – Wearing out or breaking down; eroding
Dehydration – A condition in which you don’t have enough body fluid. Symptoms include dry mouth, lightheadedness, muscle cramps and little or no urine and sweat
Demineralization – Loss of bone minerals such as calcium; causes the bones to become soft, brittle and easier to break
Depression – A medical condition that can make people feel sad, helpless and hopeless
Diagnostic injections – Nerve and muscle injections that are done to learn if certain nerves or muscles are causing your pain
Disc – Soft, gel-like pad that lies between each spinal bone (vertebra)
(TMD) Disc displacement – The disc is a small pad that lies between the condyle and fossa. It acts like a shock absorber and keeps the joint stable as it moves. Disc displacement occurs when the disc becomes stuck out of its normal position within the TMJ, causing popping, limited jaw movement and/or pain
Discogenic pain – pain arising from the discs themselves. Discogenic pain increases with sitting and walking and also increases with forward bending. Discogenic pain usually is only felt in the neck or back
(TMD) Dislocation – The jaw disc or bones are out of their normal place and do not sit correctly in the joint. When this occurs, the jaw becomes stuck in the open position
Distraction – Helps a person to minimize their focus on stress
Dorsal root ganglia – Rounded bundle of nerves, located just before the nerve root leaves the spinal canal
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) – Medication that is FDA-approved to treat both depression disorders and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPNP)
Ejaculation – When semen comes out of the penis
Electro-acupuncture – Technique that sends small amounts of electric current into the body through acupuncture needles
Electrogalvanic stimulation (EGS) – Electrostimulation technique that treats with a higher amount of electric current than TENS. It may help relieve pain, muscle spasms and trigger point tenderness around the TMJ
Encephalitis – Irritation and swelling of the brain, usually caused by a virus or other germ
Endometriosis – A disease in which endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus, resulting in symptoms such as painful monthly periods, pain during intercourse and chronic pelvic pain
Epidural space – The space between the spinal canal and the thecal sac
Episodic/Episodic headaches – Headaches that occur on less than 1 to 14 days per month for least 3 months
Episodic chronic headache (CH) – People with episodic CH have cluster periods that last from 1 week to 1 year. Each cluster period is separated by a headache-free (remission) period of 1 month or longer
Equilibration – Thin layers of selected teeth are ground down so your top and bottom rows of teeth can fit together with equal pressure
Ergonomics – This includes proper sitting at your desk and in front of a computer; correct positioning of your arms, hands and feet and using adaptive measures such as special chairs, keyboard trays and adjusting your keyboard height
External genitals – The penis and scrotum in men; includes the mons pubis, labia and clitoris in women
Extracted (extraction) – Removed or pulled from the mouth
Facet joints – Joints located in the back of the spine that allow twisting and bending. They stabilize and protect the spine by limiting excess motion. Each cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebra contains two facet joints
Facet joint injections – An injection (shot) or “nerve block” of local anesthetic that is put into the joint or near the irritated nerves of the facet joint
Facet joint syndrome – Pain that is often caused by arthritis of the joints that hold the spine in alignment
Fatigue – Tiredness; becoming tired
Flexibility – Ability to bend, twist and move
Foramina (foramen) – Holes in the side of the vertebrae from which the nerve roots exit; “foramen” refers to one individual hole; “formina”, to two holes
Fuses (fusion) – Permanently joins
Gait training – Correct walking techniques
Gamma knife – Procedure that destroys nerve fibers by focusing strong beams of radiation on a specific area of the nerve
Gasserion ganglion (trigeminal ganglion) – A mass of nerve tissue located at the base of the skull bone where the three branches of the trigeminal nerve join together
Gout – Condition that causes uric acid crystals to build up in joints and other tissues
Gradually – Slowly
Headache episode – Each new headache that starts
Hemochromatosis – Excess iron levels
Herniated disc – A disc that bulges out of its regular disc space, causing nerve compression and irritation
History – Information your health care provider gathers by asking questions about your medical condition, medical conditions that your family members have and your pain and other symptoms
Hot and cold water immersion – Also called a "contrast bath," this therapy helps increase blood flow to your painful body part. Your arm, hand, leg or foot is placed in warm water for a certain period of time, and then it is put in cold water
Hyperalgesia – Pain that feels more extreme than it normally should. For example, a pin prick to the skin may feel like a knife stab to a person with hyperalgesia
Idiopathic – No known cause
Incisions - Surgical openings made in the skin with a scalpel
Infertility – Not able to get pregnant
Inflammation – Redness, irritation and swelling
Intercourse – Sex
Interferential electrotherapy - A type of electrotherapy that sends bursts or pulses of electrical current instead of a steady flow
Intermittent – Comes and goes
Intractable – Difficult to treat
Intravesical therapy – Inside the bladder therapy
Invasive treatment – Surgical treatments
(TMD) Invasive treatment – Aggressive, irreversible treatments such as jaw surgery and extensive dental or orthodontic treatment. These should be avoided as much as possible
(TMD) Irreversible therapies – Treatments such as jaw surgery, braces, equilibration, crowns and other extensive dental or orthodontic treatments. After these therapies, your jaw or mouth (“bite”) cannot be changed back to the way it was before the therapy was done without more irreversible therapies
Irritable bowel – Symptoms include problems swallowing or digesting food; a bloated, full feeling in your stomach; diarrhea or constipation
Irritable bladder – Symptoms are similar to having a urinary tract infection. You may feel like you need to go to the bathroom more often than usual. Urinating may sting or burn. Also, a woman’s monthly periods may be more painful
Jin Shin Jyutsu – A process to balance the body's energies to bring optimal health and well-being
Joint – Place where 2 bones meet
Lateral – Side-to-side
Ligament – Tissue that connects one bone to another bone
Limb – An arm or leg; also referred to as an “extremity”
Local anesthesia – Medication that causes temporary numbness and loss of feeling
Lubricate – Help joint surfaces move in a smoother, non-irritating way
Lumbar – Lower back region
Medical history – Information your healthcare provider gathers by asking questions about your overall health, regular medications and family health. He or she will also ask questions such as when your pain and symptoms began, how long they last and where it hurts
Medical professionals – Physicians, nurses, physical therapists, and behavioral specialists such as psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers
Medication over-use – When a person regularly takes pain-relievers too often or in a higher than recommended dose
Menstruation – A woman’s menstrual period, or vaginal bleeding that typically occurs each month
Minimally-invasive – Procedures that are less invasive than major (open) surgery. These procedures use smaller incisions (cuts) and instruments such as needles, tiny knives, lasers and microscopes
Monochromatic infrared light therapy – Light therapy may help improve blood flow, decrease pain and increase sensation, or feeling, in the area that is it applied. Light therapy equipment may consist of a panel of lights, a hand-held device or special skin pads that have small infrared lights built into them. When the light therapy unit is turned on, light travels deep into your body tissues and dilates (makes wider) the blood vessels. As blood flow to the area increases, you may feel tingling and pulsing. Light therapy may be given in the therapy room or at home. If you are doing home treatments, always follow the treatment plan given to you by your health care provider
MRI – Also called “Magnetic resonance imaging.” This test uses magnetic waves to help your health care provider see the normal and abnormal soft tissues in your body
Multi-disciplinary pain rehabilitation program – A team of health care providers who specialize in pain management
Multi-modality and interdisciplinary – Composed of health care providers who specialize a wide variety of medical and pain-related expertise; a group who offers many different forms of therapy
Multiple sclerosis (MS) – A disease that causes widespread damage to myelin
Muscle contracture – Muscles are shrunken and tight, usually due to injury that damages the muscle fibers in a way that converts them to scar tissue
Muscle micro trauma – Small tears in the muscle
Muscular bracing – A reaction to pain in which a person maintains a rigid posture in an attempt to avoid additional pain
Nausea – Feel sick to your stomach
Nasal endoscope – A small, flexible tube that is inserted into your nasal cavity (nose) and sinuses. It is hollow like a straw so that your provider can do procedures by passing tiny instruments such as cameras and knives through the tube.
Nasal endoscopy – During this procedure, a tiny camera is inserted into your nose to allow your provider to see the soft tissue inside your nasal cavity and sinuses. Topical anesthesia (numbing medicine) may be sprayed or rubbed inside your nose to make this procedure more comfortable. Your provider may also take a small amount of mucus and pus to send to the lab for tests. He or she may apply medicine that will help decrease tissue swelling and help your nose and sinuses to drain.
Nerve block – Nerve blocks are injections (shots) of an anesthetic or other type of medicine. A nerve block is given near a nerve that the surgeon believes is causing your pain. It may help relieve pain by numbing the nerve and blocking abnormal pain messages from going to the brain
Neuroleptics - Medicine that is given for psychological disorders but has also been found to help treat some types of headaches
Nerve roots – Smaller nerves that branch directly off the spinal cord on either side of the vertebrae
Neurological exam – Simple tests that show how well your nerves pass messages to the brain. During the exam, your provider will check muscle strength and reflexes and how well you can feel things
Neurological tests – Tests that show how well your nerves send information to other nerves, the muscles and the brain
Neuromodulation – Reprogramming the messages involved in relaying the pain signals
Neuropathic pain – Pain that occurs when a nerve is injured or damaged. Symptoms include numbness and tingling; also sharp, burning, shooting or aching pain in the area of the injured nerve
Neurotransmitters – Nerve cell chemicals that send messages from one nerve to another
Nociceptive pain – Pain caused by injury to tissue such as muscle, bones, ligaments and body organs
Non-opioid pain relievers (or “analgesics”) – Pain-relievers that can be bought other-the-counter or by prescription at your local grocery store or pharmacy. They include aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and COX-2 specific inhibitors
NSAIDs – Also called “non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.” NSAIDs are used to decrease pain and inflammation
(NSAIDs) side effects – The most common side effects of NSAIDs are stomach upset, bleeding disorder, high blood pressure and swelling. Used long-term or with other medications, some NSAIDs (including COX-2 inhibitors) can also cause liver problems and increased risk of heart attack
Obstruction – Blockage
Off-label – Every drug must be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before it can be sold to patients. To be approved, every drug must be tested in clinical trials for treatment of specific medical conditions. For example, amitriptyline (Elavil) was approved by the FDA to treat depression. Once a drug is approved for the market, doctors may prescribe it to treat other conditions. If the drug helps a medical condition for which it was not originally tested, its use is called “off-label” use. For example, an off-label use for amitriptyline is treatment of fibromyalgia
Opioids – The strongest type of pain-reliever. Opioids are also called “narcotics.” Examples include morphine, methadone and tramadol
Oral contraceptives – Birth control pills
(TMD) Orthotics – Also called “oral orthopedic appliances,” these include occlusal splints, night guards and bruxism appliances
Osteoporosis – Condition that causes bone to become thin and fragile
Osteoarthritis – Also called “degenerative joint disease.” This disorder is usually caused by wear and tear on the joints as a person ages, including wearing away of cartilage, overgrowth of bones in the joint and bone spurs. These changes cause irritation, inflammation and pain in the joints
Ostia – Narrow opening between the facial sinuses and the nose. Ostia are the narrow openings between the sinuses and the nasal passage (inside of the nose). When swelling of the soft tissue occurs, the ostia can swell shut and prevent mucus from draining out of the sinus
OTC or OTC medicine – OTC or “over-the-counter” refers to medicines that you can buy at a grocery store or pharmacy without a prescription. Typical OTC pain relievers include aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.)
Over-stretching – This can occur during long or forceful dental procedures, intubation and surgery of the mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach
Paralysis – Loss of voluntary movement
Pain generator – The source of your pain
Pain history – Information your health care provider gathers by asking you about your medical condition and pain. He or she will ask questions that include: what caused your pain, when did your symptoms begin and how long does your pain last. You can use this time to show the provider information you have written down about your pain, such as a pain journal
Pain-relievers – These include ergotamine, triptans, opioids (narcotics) and analgesics
Paranasal sinuses – Hollow, air-filled pockets inside the facial bones that surround your nose. There are four pair of paranasal sinuses: maxillary, frontal, ethmoid and sphenoid
Parasympathetic nervous system – The opposite of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). It brings your body back to its normal function. For example, it slows the heart so that it will beat at its regular rate, stops you from sweating and slows your breathing
Percutaneous injection – Procedure in which a needle is inserted through the skin and into the nerve
Perineum – The skin area surrounding the vaginal opening, urethra and anus in women; the area from the scrotum to the anus in men.
Peripheral – Lying outside of the center or core of the body
Peripheral nerve – A nerve outside of the brain and spinal cord; includes the nerves that go to the arms, legs, trunk (body organs), head, face, mouth and neck
Peripheral nerve stimulation – A treatment for chronic peripheral nerve pain, usually considered when less invasive treatments are ineffective. During surgery, a small wire is placed near the spinal cord or further away in an arm or leg. The wire is connected to a device that sends tiny, safe amounts of electrical current through the wire to the nerves that are causing your pain. PNS may help stop the damaged nerves from sending pain messages to your brain. Instead of feeling pain, you may feel tingling instead
Peripheral nervous system (PNS) – All the nerves in the body except the brain and spinal cord; includes the nerves that go to the arms, legs, trunk (body organs), head, face, mouth and neck
Peripheral neuropathy – Nerve-related (“neuropathic”) pain, numbness and weakness that occurs due to nerve injury or damage
Permanent – Cannot be changed back to the way it was; cannot be reversed
Persistent – Continues; will not go away
Photophobia – Sensitivity to light that can accompany headaches, particularly migraine and tension headaches
Physiological – Part of the body; typically refers to the physical processes that control bodily functions, which, when disturbed or disrupted, may lead to medical conditions and disorders
Postdrome – Symptoms that can occur after a severe migraine attack, such as feeling tired or "washed out," irritable and listless
Post-traumatic – Occurring after an accident or injury
Primary headache disorder – A condition in which the headache represents the primary symptom of a physiological, or bodily, disorder. The more common primary headache types are migraine, tension-type and cluster headaches
Pregabalin (Lyrica) – Medication that is FDA-approved to treat both seizure disorders and diabetic nerve pain
Premonitory or “Prodrome” period – In migraine headaches, this refers to events, such as mood changes, stiff neck, fatigue, increased sensitivity to light, sound and smells, etc., that can occur hours to days before the actual headache
Presacral neurectomy – Nerves between the lower spine and tailbone are destroyed by laser
Preventive medications – Medicine that is prescribed when headaches occur more than twice a week and/or are extremely painful
Protrusive – Backward-to-forward
Psychological – Mental and emotional
Puberty – The time that adult growth and sexual maturity occurs
Pubic bone – The front, middle part of the pelvis
Radicular pain – Pain that occurs when bulging discs compress the nerve roots. Pain starts in the back and radiates outward toward the neck and into the arm or toward the back, buttock and into the leg and foot. It increases with walking or bending forward or when the arm or leg is extended
Radiculopathy – Pain and/or decreased function of a nerve root that begins in your spine and moves down your arm or leg due to damage or compression by soft or bony tissue.
Radiofrequency lesioning (RFL) – Procedure that destroys nerve fibers with a small, safe amount of electric current
Range of motion – The amount a joint can move
(TMD) Range of motion – Ability to open your mouth wide and move it side-to-side and back and forth
Reactive Headache – A headache that is triggered by a "reaction" to something in a person's environment or lifestyle
Rebound Headache – Also known as "medication over-use" headache; it is caused by excessive use of certain medications, including many of the pain-relievers and other agents used to treat chronic headaches
Recurrence – Times when the symptoms come back again
Recurs (Recurrent) – Comes back again
Regenerate – Regrow; grow back again
Rehabilitation – Exercises and therapies that are done to help you return to your regular daily activities and to help decrease pain.
Reiki – A natural healing process using the hands to tap a universal life energy
Remission – Times when you have no symptoms; for example, this could be a “quiet period” or “headache-free” period
Reversibility – The ability to move away from neutral and return back to neutral with equal control and without pain
Risk factors – Things that make you more likely to have worse health or ill effects
Rotator cuff – Group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint
Rotator cuff tendonitis – Inflammation of the shoulder joint tendons
Satiety – Your stomach feels filled enough that you are no longer hunger
Second opinion – Schedule an interview with another health care provider who specializes in your medical disorder or pain condition. Ask this provider if he or she agrees with the treatment that the first expert recommended for you
Secondary headache disorder – A headache that arises as a symptom of another disorder. Some of the more common secondary headache types are post-traumatic, reactive, sinus and rebound
Sensation (senses) – Feeling; The way something feels on your skin or inside your body
Side effects of corticosteroids – Long-term use of steroids can decrease your body’s ability to make its own natural cortisone (steroids) and its ability to fight infection. Steroids can cause your body to hold on to fluid (swelling) and weight gain. It can lead to bone loss, osteoporosis and can increase the blood sugar of people with diabetes
Sphenopalatine Ganglion (SPG) Blockade – A type of nerve block that involves the injection of a nerve-blocking agent into a cluster of nerves along the skull behind the face
Spondylolisthesis – A condition where a vertebra slips out of place, causing it to be out of line in relation to the other vertebrae
Soft tissue – Also called “mucus membranes”
Spinal canal – Each spinal bone, or “vertebra,” has a hollow space called the spinal canal. The spinal canal provides a place for the spinal cord and nerve roots and protects them from damage
Spinal sprain and strain – Pain that occurs when muscles, tendons or ligaments around the spine are over-stretched or torn.
Spinal stenosis – Pain from bony compression of the nerves of the spine. Narrowing of the spinal canal is often caused by “wear and tear” on the spine that occurs with age or by being born with the condition
Spine – The backbone; also called the spinal column or vertebral column
Stent – Thin, flexible tube
Sterile – Clean
Stress management techniques – These include cognitive behavioral therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)] techniques, and biofeedback
Subclavian – Under the clavicle (collarbone)
Symmetry – Equal in size, shape and form
Sympathetically maintained pain (SMP) – The SNS is like the body’s alarm system. It begins working when you feel things like stress, fear or pain. When these feelings happen, the SNS causes your body to become alert and ready for action. For example, it causes your heart beat and breathing to increase, your mouth to become dry and skin to sweat
Systemic lupus erythematosus (Lupus) – Inflammatory, autoimmune condition that affects many body organs, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs and central nervous system
Tapering – Decreasing the dose
Temporary – Short-term
Tendons – Tissue that attaches muscle to bone
TENS – Also called “transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.” A TENS unit is a small device that stimulates nerves with tiny, safe amounts of electrical current. You apply skin electrodes (patches) to your skin. The electrodes are connected to the TENS unit with wires. The electric current goes from the TENS to the wires and through the skin patches. The electric current travels into your nerves and breaks up pain messages
(TMD) Total joint replacement – This surgery is only available for people with advanced cases of TMD who have a large amount of joint damage and extremely limited opening
Trigger point injections – A trigger point is a very painful area of muscle that is tense and knotted. A trigger point injection is a shot that is put directly into the trigger point. The shot may have an anesthetic such as lidocaine and sometimes a corticosteroid in it. It helps to relax the muscle and ease the pain in some patients
Triggered by – May begin as a result of
Triggers – Things that cause pain to begin; for example, headache triggers can cause a headache to start
Urethra – Small tube connected to the bladder. Urine must flow down the urethra to leave the body
Urinary sphincters – Muscles around the urethral openings
Urinary system – The urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra
Urinate – Pass urine; go to the bathroom
Uterosacral nerve ablation – Nerves in the ligaments that attach the uterus to the sacrum are destroyed by laser or cauterization
Vascular – Related to blood vessels
Vein – Blood vessel that carries blood back to the heart
Vertebrae – The individual bones of the spine
Vertigo – A spinning sensation
Visual Imagery – The practice of using one's imagination to create mental pictures in a way that can help persons become relaxed and help relieve pain
Wedging – Wedging occurs when the broken vertebra collapse toward the front or side of the spine and cause the spine to tilt forward
(TMD) Whiplash – The jaw joint is damaged from the forces of acceleration and deceleration. This often occurs in a rear end collision, which causes that cause the jaw to be suddenly forced up and back, and then forward against the chest
Whiplash – A neck injury that occurs when your head is suddenly forced forward and then thrown back, such as during a car accident
X-ray – A test that uses radioactive waves to take pictures of your bones and supporting tissue
Abbreviated Health Care Provider Glossary
Allergist - A medical professional who specializes in identifying and treating allergic reactions
Psychiatrist - Medical doctor with special training in treating emotional problems
Psychologist - Non-medical doctor with special training in treating emotional problems
Psychotherapist - Psychiatrist or psychologist
Social worker – Non-medical counselor