Glossary

Represents a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck associated with extension and flexion.

A wedge fracture is an angled vertebral compression fracture.

Relating to those nerves or the nerve centers that supply the muscle fibers of the walls of blood vessels

Dilation of the blood vessels

A neuropathic disorder of one or both of the trigeminal nerves. It causes episodes of intense pain in any or all of the following: the ear, eye, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, teeth, or jaw on one side and alongside of the face.

A rare, inflammatory disorder characterized by chest pain and swelling of the cartilage of one or more of the upper ribs (costochondral junction).

A rare condition that involves pain in the neck and shoulder, numbness and tingling of the fingers, and a weak grip. The thoracic outlet is the area between the rib cage and collar bone.

The spinal nerves emerging from the thoracic vertebrae

Inflammation of the lining of the sheath that surrounds a tendon (the cord that joins muscle to bone).

A disorder in which a cyst or cavity forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, can expand and elongate over time, destroying the spinal cord

A ganglion (tissue mass) of the adjacent joint, caused by leakage of fluid from the joint into the surrounding tissue

Part of the autonomic nervous system and located on the front surface of the spinal column.

The first spinal nerve, exits the spinal cord between the skull and the first cervical vertebra.

Relating to the nerves that stimulate the sweat glands to activity

An injury to a muscle or tendon in which the muscle fibers tear as a result of overstretching

A sympathetic ganglion formed by the fusion of the inferior cervical ganglion and the first thoracic ganglion

An injury to ligaments that is caused by being stretched beyond their normal capacity

Injuries that occur to athletes participating in sporting events. In many cases, these types of injuries are due to overuse of a part of the body when participating in a certain activity

A condition related to degeneration of bone that ultimately results in narrowing.

Defect in the connection between vertebrae that can lead to small stress fractures (breaks) in the vertebrae

A condition in which a bone (vertebra) in the lower part of the spine slips out of the proper position onto the bone below it

Narrowing of cervical spinal canal

A medical condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves

A fracture affecting the bones of the spinal column

Exerting pulsed electrical signals to the spinal cord to control chronic pain. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS), in the simplest form, consists of stimulating electrodes implanted in the epidural space, an electrical pulse generator implanted in the lower abdominal area or gluteal region, conducting wires connecting the electrodes to the generator, and the generator remote control.

Cause myelopathy or damage to nerve roots or myelinated fiber tracts that carry signals to and from the brain

A type of nociceptive pain in which the nerves that detect somatic pain are located in the skin and deep tissues. These specialized nerves, called nociceptors, pick up sensations related to temperature, vibration and swelling in the skin, joints and muscles

An autosomal co-dominant genetic blood disorder characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape

A medical condition in which a person’s spine is curved from side to side

Pain is felt in the lower back, buttock, and/or various parts of the leg and foot caused by general compression and/or irritation of one of five spinal nerve roots that give rise to each sciatic nerve.

A neurosurgical procedure that selectively coagulates or transects problematic nerve roots in the spinal cord

Chronic disease occurring because the body’s immune system isn’t functioning properly.  The immune system fights infections and in people with RA, the immune system also attacks the body. RA is also called an autoimmune disease.
Rheumatoid Arthritis

A non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue

One or more nerves are affected and do not work properly (a neuropathy).  The nerve(s) may be inflamed, pinched (compressed), or working ineffectively due to a lack of blood flow.

Pain “radiated” along the dermatome (sensory distribution) of a nerve due to inflammation or other irritation of the nerve root (radiculopathy) at its connection to the spinal column.

A neuromuscular disorder that occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or otherwise irritated by the piriformis muscle causing pain, tingling and numbness in the buttocks and along the path of the sciatic nerve descending down the lower thigh and into the leg

The sensation that an amputated or missing limb (even an organ, like the appendix) is still attached to the body and is moving appropriately with other body parts.

Nerves outside the brain and spinal cord

The functional changes that accompany a particular syndrome or disease

The complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups. Paralysis can cause loss of feeling or loss of mobility in the affected area

A sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage

A disease that causes a loss of calcium that leads to an increased risk of fracture
National Osteoporosis Foundation

An infection of the bone or bone marrow

Also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease is a group of diseases and mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints

Occurs in the back of the head at the base of the skull. Referred to headache with neck pain.

A sensory receptor that reacts to potentially damaging stimuli by sending nerve signals to the spinal cord and brain

The activity produced in the peripheral and central nervous system by stimuli that have the potential to damage tissue

Nerve pain characterized by sharp, stabbing, burning pain which is caused by damage to or dysfunction of the peripheral or central nervous system

Procedure designed to destroy nerve endings responsible for the sensation of pain with the use of cold or heat.

Inflammation of a nerve or the general inflammation of the peripheral nervous system

Pain that follows the path of a nerve

Inflammation of the muscles

“Muscle pain” and is a symptom of many diseases and disorders

Numbness or pain in the outer thigh not caused by injury to the thigh, but by injury to a nerve that extends from the thigh to the spinal column.

A joint of the body, between the last lumbar vertebra and the first sacral segment of the spinal cord

Low back pain is one of the most commonly seen clinical
entities, both in primary care and pain clinic arena.
Back pain generally is subdivided into axial (nonradiating) and radicular (radiating) pain. An additional subdivision is whether the pain is acute, subacute, or chronic with different modalities for treating each.

An inward curvature of a portion of the lumbar column.

A spine operation to remove the portion of the vertebral bone called the lamina

Also called hunchback, is a common condition of a curvature of the upper spine

Fear of movement

Situated or appearing on or affecting the same side of the body

Decrease in functioning

Decreased tactile sensibility

Decreased sensitivity to pain

Abnormal increase in sensitivity to stimuli of the senses

Unusual or pathological sensitivity of the skin or of a particular sense to  stimulation

Condition in which disc tissue passes through the outer wall of the annulus; may result in nerve root compression

A medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to pressure.
National Fibromyalgia Association

Abnormal tone of any tissue

Neuromuscular abnormality that impacts the patient’s ability to raise their foot at the ankle.

Pain felt in the back that originates from the disc

An inflammation in the intervertebral disc space

Mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints including cartilage and bone

Degeneration of the intervertebral disc

Progressive worsening of a patient’s general fitness due to lack of activity associated with pain

Collapse of a vertebra, caused by trauma or weakened vertebra

Chronic disease characterized by severe pain, swelling, and changes in the color and temperature of skin

A rare, inflammatory disorder characterized by chest pain and swelling of the cartilage of one or more of the upper ribs (costochondral junction).

Pain in the coccyx or tailbone area, usually brought on by sitting.

A neurological disorder where the cerebellum, descends out of the skull and crowds the spinal cord which puts pressure on both the brain and spine.

Conquer Chiari

Neck Pain

The spinal nerves from the cervical vertebrae

The inflammation of one or more bursae (small sacs) of synovial fluid in the body.

A disease where there is cellular death (necrosis) of bone components due to interruption of the blood supply.

A group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body

Scarring or adherence of the nerve roots to each other in cauda equina

The outer wall of the invertebral disc

A chronic, inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune disease. It mainly affects joints in the spine and the sacroilium in the pelvis, and can cause eventual fusion of the spine.

Pain resulting from a stimulus such as a light touch of the skin which would not normally provoke pain; pain due to touching the joints and movement of joints

Removal of a part of biological tissue, usually by heat/cold