Glossary
Achalasia – Achalasia is a disorder of the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. This affects the ability of the esophagus to move food toward the stomach.
Anagen – The growth phase of the hair cycle during (growth phase) which new hair is formed.
Anesthesia – general or local insensibility, as to pain and other sensation, induced by certain interventions or drugs to permit the performance of surgery or other painful procedures.
Arthritis – Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. A joint is the area where two bones meet. There are over 100 different types of arthritis.
Aspiration – the act of removing a fluid, as pus or serum, from a cavity of the body, by a hollow needle or trocar connected with a suction syringe.
Back Pain – A pain in the lumbar, lumbosacral, or cervical regions of the back, varying in sharpness and intensity. Causes may include muscle strain or pressure on the root of a nerve.
Blepharoptosis – A drooping or abnormal relaxation of the upper eyelid
Botox Injections – Botox injections are the best known of a group of medications that use various forms of botulinum toxin to temporarily paralyze muscle activity. This toxin is produced by the microbe that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning.
Bursitis – Bursitis is the swelling and irritation of a bursa. A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between a muscles, tendons, and joints.
Cartilage – A tough, elastic, fibrous connective tissue found in various parts of the body, such as the joints, outer ear, and larynx. A major constituent of the embryonic and young vertebrate skeleton, it is converted largely to bone with maturation.
Cervical Spine – The cervical spine, also known as the neck, is comprised of seven vertebral bodies (C1-C7) that make up the upper most part of the spine. These vertebrae connect the spine to the skull.
Chiropractic – A system of complementary medicine based on the diagnosis and manipulative treatment of misalignments of the joints, esp. those of the spinal column, which are held to cause other disorders by affecting the nerves, muscles, and organs.
Cold Lazer Therapy – Low Level Laser Therapy, commonly known as LLLT, cold or soft laser, or laser photobiostimulation, is a form of phototherapy which involves the application of monochromatic and coherent light to injuries and lesions to stimulate healing.
Corticosteroid – are a class of chemicals that includes steroid hormones naturally produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates and analogues of these hormones that are synthesized in laboratories.
Degenerative Disc Disease – Degenerative disc disease is a “disease of aging”, an age related disease. It refers to the degeneration of at least one of the intervertebral discs of the spinal column. Some people may call it degenerative disc disorder.
Digital X-ray – or digital radiography is a technique in which x-ray absorption is quantified by assignment of a number to the amount of x-rays reaching the detector; the information is manipulated by a computer to produce an optimal image.
Electrical Muscle Stimulation – Electrical muscle stimulation, abbreviated EMS and also known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation and electromyostimulation, is the practice of delivering electric impulses to different parts of the body, namely muscles.
Facet Syndrome – A low back pain syndrome attributed to osteoarthritis of the interarticular vertebrae.
Fibromyalgia – A syndrome characterized by chronic pain in the muscles and soft tissues surrounding joints, fatigue, and tenderness at specific sites in the body. Also called fibromyalgia syndrome, fibromyositis, fibrositis.
Gout – Gout is a type of arthritis. It occurs when uric acid builds up in blood and causes inflammation in the joints. Acute gout is a painful condition that often affects only one joint; chronic gout is repeated episodes of pain and inflammation. More than one joint may be affected.
Heartburn – Heartburn is a painful burning feeling just below or behind the breastbone. Most of the time it comes from the esophagus. The pain often rises in your chest from your stomach and may spread to your neck or throat.
Herniated Disc – an abnormal protrusion of a spinal disk between vertebrae, most often in the lumbar region of the spine, causing pain due to pressure on spinal nerves.
Hyalgan – is a solution of sodium hyaluronate. Hyaluronate is a natural chemical found in the body.
Inflammation – Inflammation is a process in which the body’s white blood cells and chemicals help protect us from infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses.
Joint Injection – A joint injection is an injection of a steroid or other medication into a joint; any place two bones move against each other and are surrounded by a joint capsule.
Juvéderm – is an injectable filler (injectable facial filler) used by cosmetic, dermatological, and plastic surgeons to soften deep folds and reduce wrinkles in the faces of patients. The substance is largely hyaluronic acid, a substance normally found in the skin, muscles, and tendons of mammals.
Knee Pain – Knee pain refers to pain that occurs in and around your knee joint. Knee pain can be caused by problems with the knee joint itself, or it can be caused by conditions affecting the soft tissues — ligaments, tendons or bursae — that surround the knee.
Latisse – Brand name for the prescription drug whose active ingredient is the prostaglandin analogue bimatoprost. Latisse is sold by Allergan (of Botox fame), and is the only FDA-approved treatment for enhancing eyelash growth, including lash length, thickness, and darkness.
Lumbar Pain – Backache affecting the lumbar region or lower back; can be caused by muscle strain or arthritis or vascular insufficiency or a ruptured intervertebral disc.
Lumbar Spine – The lumbar spine refers to the lower back, where the spine curves inward toward the abdomen. It starts about five or six inches below the shoulder blades, and connects with the thoracic spine at the top and extends downward to the sacral spine.
Massage Therapy – is the scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for the purpose of normalizing those tissues and consists of manual techniques that include applying fixed or movable pressure, holding, and/or causing movement of or to the body.
Migraine Headache – A migraine is a common type of headache that may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. In many people, a throbbing pain is felt only on one side of the head.
Misalignment – Misalignment is the incorrect positioning or placement of something.
MRI – An MRI, also known as Magnetic Resonance Imaging, is a pain-free non-invasive medical test used to produce two dimensional images of the structures of the body. The process uses intense magnetic fields to make images of the inside of the body.
Myofascial Pain Syndrome – Myofascial pain syndrome, also known as chronic myofascial pain, is a syndrome characterized by chronic pain caused by multiple trigger points and fascial constrictions.
Nausea – Nausea is the feeling of having an urge to vomit. It is often called being sick to your stomach. Vomiting or throwing up is forcing the contents of the stomach up through the esophagus and out of the mouth.
Neck Pain – Neck pain is discomfort in any of the structures in the neck. These include the muscles, nerves, bones (vertebrae), and the disks between the bones.
Neuropathy – an abnormal and usually degenerative state of the nervous system or nerves; also: a systemic condition (as muscular atrophy) that stems from a neuropathy.
Orthotics – The science that deals with the use of specialized mechanical devices to support or to supplement weakened or abnormal joints or limbs. Also called orthetics.
Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder. It is due to aging and wear and tear on a joint.
Psoriatic Arthritis – Psoriatic arthritis is a joint problem (arthritis) that often occurs with a skin condition called psoriasis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis – Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It can also affect other organs.
Sacral Spine – the part of the spinal cord that consists of the five sacral segments (S1–S5), from which the five pairs of sacral nerves (S1–S5) originate.
Sarraceniaceae – A family of insectivorous plants (order Sarraceniales) having basal tubular leaves with a thin lamina like a wing at the inner margin and a hood or other appendage at the apex and large conspicuous pentamerous flowers.
Sciatica – Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg. It is caused by injury to or pressure on the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is a symptom of another medical problem, not a medical condition on its own.
Spinal Decompression – is the noninvasive treatment to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord achieved through the use of a decompression table.
Spinal Stenosis – Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the spinal column that causes pressure on the spinal cord, or narrowing of the openings (called neural foramina) where spinal nerves leave the spinal column.
Spondylolisthesis – Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a bone (vertebra) in the spine slips out of the proper position onto the bone below it.
Subluxation – subluxation (a.k.a. Vertebral Subluxation) is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves.
Tendinitis – Tendinitis is inflammation, irritation, and swelling of a tendon, which is the fibrous structure that joins muscle to bone. In many cases, tendinosis (tendon degeneration) is also present.
Tension Headache – a headache located at the back of the head; usually caused by body tension resulting from overwork or psychological stress.
Thoracic Spine – The 12 vertebrae in the upper back make up what is known as the thoracic spine. They curve outward and inward to provide structure for the rib cage. The bones provide structure and flexibility for the body, while protecting the spinal column.
Trigger Point – Trigger points, also known as trigger sites or muscle knots, are described as hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle that are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers.
Trigger Point Injection – or (TPI) is a procedure used to treat painful areas of muscle that contain trigger points, or knots of muscle that form when muscles do not relax.
Ultrasound – The use of ultrasonic waves for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, specifically to visualize an internal body structure, monitors a developing fetus, or generates localized deep heat to the tissues.
Writer’s Cramp – A painful spasmodic cramp of muscles of the hand or fingers brought on by excessive writing—called also graphospasm.