MedicineNet.com
About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map
September 7, 2008
  MedicineNet home Picture Slideshows Diseases and conditions Symptoms and signs Procedures and tests Medications Health and Living Health news and views MedTerms medical dictionary  
 Pain Management: Musculoskeletal Pain Main Article |  Glossary |  Pain Management: Musculoskeletal Pain Index 

Pain Management: Musculoskeletal Pain Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Pain Management: Musculoskeletal Pain article.

Acupressure: The application of pressure on specific points on the body to control symptoms such as pain or nausea. Similar in concept to acupuncture but without needles.

Acupuncture: The practice of inserting needles into the body to reduce pain or induce anesthesia . More broadly, acupuncture is a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical locations on or in the skin by a variety of techniques. There are a number of different approaches to diagnosis and treatment in American acupuncture that incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The most thoroughly studied mechanism of stimulation of acupuncture points employs penetration of the skin by thin, solid, metallic needles, which are manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation.
See the entire definition of Acupuncture

Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness that is of short duration, rapidly progressive, and in need of urgent care.
See the entire definition of Acute

Ambien: Brand name for the sedative hypnotic drug zolpidem used for sleep. For more information, see: zolpidem.

Anesthetic: A substance that causes lack of feeling or awareness. A local anesthetic causes loss of feeling in a part of the body. A general anesthetic puts the person to sleep.

Burn: Damage to the skin or other body parts caused by extreme heat, flame, contact with heated objects, or chemicals. Burn depth is generally categorized as first, second, or third degree. The treatment of burns depends on the depth, area, and location of the burn, as well as additional factors, such as material that may be burned onto or into the skin. Treatment options range from simply applying a cold pack to emergency treatment to skin grafts.
See the entire definition of Burn

Chiropractic: A system of diagnosis and treatment based on the concept that the nervous system coordinates all of the body's functions, and that disease results from a lack of normal nerve function. Chiropractic employs manipulation and adjustment of body structures, such as the spinal column, so that pressure on nerves coming from the spinal cord due to displacement (subluxation) of a vertebral body may be relieved. Practitioners believe that misalignment and nerve pressure can cause problems not only in the local area, but also at some distance from it. Chiropractic treatment appears to be effective for muscle spasms of the back and neck, tension headaches, and some sorts of leg pain. It may or may not be useful for other ailments.
See the entire definition of Chiropractic

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease ; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies . 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV.
See the entire definition of Diagnosis

Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment, usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness. Fatigue can be acute and come on suddenly or chronic and persist.
See the entire definition of Fatigue

Fibromyalgia: A syndrome characterized by chronic pain , stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation . Fibromyalgia does not cause body damage or deformity. However, undue fatigue plagues the large majority of patients with fibromyalgia and sleep disorders are common in fibromyalgia.
See the entire definition of Fibromyalgia

Health: As officially defined by the World Health Organization, a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Immune: Protected against infection. The Latin immunis means free, exempt.

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing us from everything foreign to us, and for protecting us against infections and foreign substances. The immune system works to seek and kill invaders.
See the entire definition of Immune system

Massage: The manipulation of muscle and connective tissue to enhance the function of those tissues and promote relaxation and well-being. Therapeutic massage can ease tension and reduce pain. Massage can be a part of physical therapy or practiced on its own. It can also be highly effective for reducing the symptoms of arthritis, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other disorders of the muscles and/or nervous system.

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may contain clues bearing on their health past, present, and future. The medical history, being an account of all medical events and problems a person has experienced, including psychiatric illness, is especially helpful when a differential diagnosis is needed.
2. The history of medicine.

back to top

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. There are three types of muscle in the body. Muscle which is responsible for moving extremities and external areas of the body is called "skeletal muscle." Heart muscle is called "cardiac muscle." Muscle that is in the walls of arteries and bowel is called "smooth muscle."

Neuroscience: The study of the brain and nervous system, including molecular neuroscience, cellular neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, psychophysics, computational modeling and diseases of the nervous system. See also: Neuroscientist.

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pain has both physical and emotional components. The physical part of pain results from nerve stimulation. Pain may be contained to a discrete area, as in an injury, or it can be more diffuse, as in disorders like fibromyalgia . Pain is mediated by specific nerve fibers that carry the pain impulses to the brain where their conscious appreciation may be modified by many factors.
See the entire definition of Pain

Pain management: The process of providing medical care that alleviates or reduces pain. Pain management is an extremely important part of health care, as patients forced to remain in severe pain often become agitated and/or depressed and have poorer treatment outcomes. Mild to moderate pain can usually be treated with analgesic medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen . For chronic or severe pain, opiates and other narcotics are often used, sometimes in concert with analgesics; with steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs when the pain is related to inflammation; or with anti-depressants, which can potentiate some pain medications without raising the actual dose of the drug, and which affect the brain's perception of pain. Narcotics carry with them a potential for side effects and addiction, so patients and caregivers must weigh the level of pain against these dangers in the pain management process. The risk of addiction is not normally a concern in the care of terminal patients.
See the entire definition of Pain management

Postural: Pertaining to the posture or position of the body, the attitude or carriage of the body as a whole, or the position of the limbs (the arms and legs). Postural hypotension is a drop in blood pressure ( hypotension ) due to a change in body position (a change in posture). It occurs when a person, often an older person, moves to a more vertical position: from sitting to standing or from lying down to sitting or standing. The change in posture causes a temporary reduction in blood flow and therefore a shortage of oxygen to the brain, which leads to lightheadedness and, sometimes, a "black out" episode, a loss of consciousness.
See the entire definition of Postural

Posture: The carriage of the body as a whole, the attitude of the body, or the position of the limbs (the arms and legs).
See the entire definition of Posture

Serotonin: A hormone , also called 5-hydroxytryptamine , in the pineal gland , blood platelets, the digestive tract, and the brain. Serotonin acts both as a chemical messenger that transmits nerve signals between nerve cells and that causes blood vessels to narrow.
See the entire definition of Serotonin

Sleep : The body's rest cycle.
See the entire definition of Sleep

Strain: 1. An injury to a tendon or muscle resulting from overuse or trauma. 2. A hereditary tendency that originated from a common ancestor. 3. To exert maximum effort. 4. To filter.

Tear: A drop of the salty secretion of the lacrimal glands which serves to moisten the conjunctiva and cornea.

Therapeutic: Relating to therapeutics , that part of medicine concerned specifically with the treatment of disease . The therapeutic dose of a drug is the amount needed to treat a disease.
See the entire definition of Therapeutic

Therapy: The treatment of disease .
See the entire definition of Therapy

Tissue: A tissue in medicine is not like a piece of tissue paper. It is a broad term that is applied to any group of cells that perform specific functions. A tissue in medicine need not form a layer. Thus,

  • The bone marrow is a tissue;
  • Connective tissue consists of cells that make up fibers in the framework supporting other body tissues; and
  • Lymphoid tissue is the part of the body's immune system that helps protect it from bacteria and other foreign entities.

Trauma: Any injury , whether physically or emotionally inflicted. "Trauma" has both a medical and a psychiatric definition. Medically, "trauma" refers to a serious or critical bodily injury, wound, or shock . This definition is often associated with trauma medicine practiced in emergency rooms and represents a popular view of the term. In psychiatry , "trauma" has assumed a different meaning and refers to an experience that is emotionally painful, distressful, or shocking, which often results in lasting mental and physical effects.
See the entire definition of Trauma back to top

 Pain Management: Musculoskeletal Pain Main Article |  Glossary |  Pain Management: Musculoskeletal Pain Index 




space Related health and medical articles From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com MedicineNet Doctors recommend space
space
MedicineNet Doctors Recommend
  • Muscle Cramps - Get information on muscle cramps causes (vitamin deficiency, drugs, lactic acid, dehydration, low calcium, potassium or magnesium), treatment and prevention. Source:MedicineNet
  • Arthritis - Read about arthritis causes, diagnosis, information, symptoms, and treatment. Symptoms of this type of disorder include joint pain, swelling, and inflammation. Source:MedicineNet
  • Fracture - Read about fracture of bone(s). The most common fractures are stress fractures, rib fractures, skull fractures, and fractures in children. Causes vary and treatment is dependant upon the type of fracture. Source:MedicineNet
  • Read 18 more Pain Management: Musculoskeletal Pain related articles ...
Latest Medical News
space

Chronic Pain/Back Pain

Find tips and advances in treatment.




Topics Related to Pain Management: Musculoskeletal Pain



Touch Your Way to Health Touch Your Way to Health
Hear from experts on different types of therapeutic massage, how to find a good therapist, and when you should avoid altogether. See more WebMD Videos »












Health categories:

Slideshows | Diseases & Conditions | Symptoms & Signs | Procedures & Tests | Medications | Health & Living | News & Views | Medical Dictionary

Popular health centers:

Allergies | Arthritis | Cancer | Diabetes | Digestion | Healthy Kids | Heart | Men's Health | Mental Health | Women's Health | More...

Publications:

ePublications (PDFs) | XML News via RSS | Audio Podcasts | Email Newsletters

MedicineNet.com:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Search Help | Site Map | WebMD® | Medscape® | eMedicine® | eMedicineHealth® | RxList®

HON Code We comply with the HONcode standard for health trust worthy information:
verify here.

©1996-2008 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Notices and Legal Disclaimer.
MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.