AMH © 2025 . All Rights Reserved.
Medical Terms
A
Acupressure: The practice of applying pressure on parts of the body to relieve pain.
Acupuncture: The practice of inserting fine needles on specific meridian points for the purpose of relieving tension, stress, and pain. Can be useful in the treatment and relief of back pain.
Adrenal glands: Small glands located on the kidneys that produce the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.
Adrenaline: A hormone that stimulates metabolism, increases alertness and increases blood pressure.
Aerobic Exercises: These kinds of exercises generally involve large muscle groups and foster a strong and healthy heart and lung function.
Amino acid: The basic unit from which proteins are made. There are two classes of amino acids: essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids are those that cannot be manufactured by the body and must be attained from the diet. Non-essential amino acids are those that the body can synthesize from other amino acids.
Anabolism: The metabolic process of building new tissue. Typically used in relation to building muscle, ligaments and tendons.
Analgesics: Medicines that are used to relieve pain – aspirin is an example.
Ankylosing Spondylitis: A chronic, progressive, rheumatic disease of the spine that causes calcification of the spinal ligaments, resulting in a loss of movement.
Annulus fibrosis: The tough outer layer of the intervertebral disc. Cartilage-like material formed in a series of rings surrounding the nucleus pulposus (soft center) of a disc.
Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint; most arthritis is caused by degenerative changes related to aging, but also elemental build-up (poor diet). Arthritis affects not only joints but also connective tissue throughout the body can be involved, as well.
Autonomic nervous system: The part of the nervous system that is responsible for controlling the involuntary functions in the body, such as digestion, metabolism, blood pressure, etc.
B
Bulging Disc: The annulus portion of the lumbar disc weakens causing the nucleus to press against it resulting in the annulus pinching or pressing against a nerve causing pain.
Bursitis: A condition in which the bursa, or fluid filled sacks that cushion joints, become swollen.
C
Calorie: A unit of energy in food. Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. Proteins have 4 calories per gram. Fat has 9 calories per gram.
Carbohydrate: A major source of energy in the diet. There are two kinds of carbohydrates: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are sugars, while complex carbohydrates include both starches and fiber. Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram.
Cardiovascular system: The system in your body responsible for distributing blood throughout the body. The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, arteries, capillaries and veins.
Catabolism: The metabolic process of breaking down tissues. Typically refers to the breakdown of muscle, bone, ligaments and tendons.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A progressive and sometimes painful joint disorder caused by a compression of the median nerve of your hand. The compression causes swelling, which exerts pressure on the nerves. Surgery is the old fashioned method of treatment. Nowadays, it only takes 3 sessions of 15 minutes each of laser therapy (PBMT) and a total cost of $150.
Cartilage: A connective tissue that lines the ends of bones and most joints. It lines the facet joints of the spine.
Cervical Spine: The upper portion of your spine; also called the neck.
Chronic Pain: Pain that has lasted for more than three weeks generally having significant psychological and emotional affects and limiting a person’s ability to fully function.
Cholesterol: A fat-like substance that is made by the body and is found naturally in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Foods high in cholesterol include liver and organ meats, egg yolks, and dairy fats. Total blood cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dl are considered high. Levels under 200 mg/dl are considered desirable.
Cortisol: A hormone that is released from the adrenal glands in response to stress that facilitates fat storage and has a catabolic (i.e., eating away) affect on muscle and connective tissue.
Coccyx: The small bone at the lower tip of the spine. Also called the tailbone, a triangular-shaped bone at the bottom of the lumbar area.
Compressed Nerve: Material from a bulging or Herniated disk pushes against a nerve in the spinal cord causing severe pain.
Computed Tomography (CAT or CT) scan: A sophisticated x-ray using a computer to produce a detailed cross-sectional three-dimensional picture of the bone and discs.
D
Degenerative Arthritis: The wearing away of cartilage that protects and cushions joints including those in the spine, hands and feet. The result of poor diet and exercise.
Degenerative Disc Disease: A general term applied to degeneration of the lumbar spinal discs which serve as cushions between the spinal vertebrae, resulting in a narrowing of the disc space. The result of poor diet and exercise.
Diabetes Mellitus – A disease that occurs when the body is not able to use blood glucose (sugar). Blood sugar levels are controlled by insulin, a hormone that assists glucose metabolism from the blood to muscles and other tissues. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body does not respond to the insulin that is made. The main cause is improper diet and not the right balance of required trace elements.
Disc Annulus: The outer lining of a disk (see Annulus Fibrosis).
Disc Nucleus: The inner core of a disk (see Nucleus Pulposus).
Discectomy: Surgical removal of part or the entire herniated intervertebral disc. This is old fashioned surgery. Nowadays, it is possible to patch or chemically seal a herniated disc better than a flat tire.
Diet: What a person eats and drinks. Any type of eating plan.
E
Electrical nerve stimulation: A type of physical therapy treatment that utilizes various frequencies and wave forms of electrical current, which have positive therapeutic effects on the nervous and musculoskeletal systems.
Electromyography (EMG): An old fashioned procedure that tests nerves and muscles providing information to help determine if surgery may be required. Nowadays, the assumption is to avoid surgery, not find false reasons to do it.
Endorphins: Chemical messengers released by the body during vigorous exercise that stimulate the brain to feel good, happy and relaxed.
Epidural Injection: This is usually a steriod injected into the spinal column but outside of the spinal cord for the relief of back pain. There can be side-effects of raising the blood pressure and rarily causes the temporary malfunction of selected organs. The main solution to eliminating back pain is accurate physical therapy. An epidural injection performed well can be a significant aid in physical recovery.
Exercise Therapy: A treatment used to help manage pain, rehabilitate damaged soft tissues, such as muscles, ligament, and tendons, and restore normal range of motion and function.
Extensor Muscles: Muscles that cause your joints to straighten, such as the back and gluteus muscles that help keep your back straight.
F
Fat: A major source of energy in the diet. All food fats have 9 calories per gram. Fat helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, and carotenoids.
Facet joints: The joints above and below each intervertebral disc, allowing the spine to bend. The paired joints located in the posterior portion of the vertebral bodies connecting the spine. These joints are part of the stabilizing mechanism for the spine.
Facet Joint Syndrome: Pain resulting from degeneration, wear, pressure exerted on and inflammation of the facet joints, which are the joints at the back of each vertebrae linking the vertebrae together.
Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain in muscles and tendons. A better name for it would be sparadic muscle spasms caused by a build-up of lactic acid, sometimes in odd areas of the body. Pain in joints is called arthritis.
Fibrositis: Pain arising from damaged ligaments, tendons or muscles.
Foraminal Stenosis: Narrowing of a vertebral opening.
Flexor Muscles: muscles that cause your joints to bend, such as your biceps muscle on the front of your upper arm or your abdominal muscles.
Foraminal Stenosis: Narrowing of a vertebral opening.
Fusion: In regard to the spine, a surgical procedure to unite two or more vertebrae with bone graft with or without metal supports resulting in immobilization of that portion. There is also natural fusion, especially in the neck.
G
Glucagon: A hormone released from the pancreas that elevates blood sugar by stimulating the release of glucose stores in the liver and muscle.
Glucose: A building block for most carbohydrates. Digestion causes carbohydrates to break down into glucose. After digestion, glucose is carried in the blood and goes to body cells where it is used for energy or stored.
Glycemic index: A measure of a foods ability to raise the bodys blood glucose level. Foods that have a low glycemic index do not raise blood glucose levels to nearly the extent of high glycemic index foods.
Golfer’s Elbow: A type of elbow pain that originates near the inside part of the bony protrusion. This type of pain is also caused by a tear or rupture in the tendon supporting the elbow bone.
H
Heat Therapy: A form of therapy often used in patients who have chronic, or long-lasting pain. Heat therapy can involve many kinds of methods, from simple heating pads to the use of far infrared heating therapy. In general, it is highly effective, but sometimes short lasting.
Herniated Disc: A disc that protrudes from its normal position between two vertebrae, due to an injury to the annulus; frequently associated with the nucleus of the disc oozing out of the center of the disk.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL): A form of cholesterol that circulates in the blood. Commonly called good cholesterol. High HDL lowers the risk of heart disease. An HDL of 60 mg/dl or greater is considered high and is protective against heart disease. An HDL less than 40 mg/dl is considered low and increases the risk for developing heart disease. Good HDL is linked to a good diet.
Hypertension: a resting blood pressure is greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg. Hypertension is associated with an increasee risk of heart disease and stroke.
Hypothalamus: A small area of the brain that is a main control center for regulating eating and sleeping behavior in humans. It has binding sites for several hormones including ghrelin and leptin.
I
Ice or Cold Therapy: A form of therapy involving the application of cold to treat many kinds of injuries, including those associated with back and neck pain. Needs more use by practitioners. It is an excellent therapy.
Insulin: A hormone in the body that helps move glucose from the blood to muscles and other tissues. Insulin controls blood sugar levels.
Inflammation: A pathologic process associated with redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function. If this process is not controlled, it can destroy tissues. It is also associated with the repair and healing of body structures.
Irritable bowel syndrome: is characterized by a combination of abdominal pain and altered bowel function.
J
JACKRABBIT (?fun def?). The study of fast-twitch muscles and their relationship to movement and survival. Big ears and four legs are required.
K
Kinesiology: The study of muscles and their relation to movement and pain relief.
Kyphosis: An excess curvature of the thoracic spine called a “dowager’s hump.” This can be caused by genetics and can be found moreso in people with poor childhood posture training.
L
Laminectomy: A surgical procedure that removes a portion of the plate that serves as the back of the spinal canal. This decompression procedure is performed for treatment of herniated intervertebral discs and spinal stenosis.
Ligament: Strong, dense bands made of connective tissue that stabilize a joint, connecting bone to bone across the joint.
Lordosis: The curve in the cervical and lumbar spine. An abnormal accentuated arch in the lower back swayback.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): A form of cholesterol that circulates in the blood. Commonly called bad cholesterol. High LDL increases the risk of heart disease. An LDL less than 100 mg/dl is considered optimal,100-129 mg/dl is considered near or above optimal, 130-159 mg/dl is considered borderline high, 160-189 mg/dl is considered high, and 190 mg/dl or greater is considered very high.
Lumbalgia: A general term meaning low back pain (See Low Back Pain).
Lumbar: The lower five weight bearing vertebrae that are located between the thoracic vertebrae and the sacrum.
M
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Magnetic radio frequency energy used to see internal structures of the body, including bone, discs, and nerves without the use of x-rays. Overall, the most useful technique in the investigation of spinal abnormalities.
Maximum heart rate: A persons maximum heart rate is based on their age. An estimate of a person’s maximum age-related heart rate can be obtained by subtracting the persons age from 220. For example, for a 50-year-old person, the estimated maximum heart rate would be calculated as: 220 – 50 = 170 beats per minute. The maximum heart rate is important for measuring whether exercise is classified as moderate-intensity (50% – 70% of maximum) or vigorous-intensity (70% – 85% of maximum).
Meditation: A general term for numerous practices where one focuses awareness on one thing such as breath or a short phrase in order to quiet the mind.
Metabolism: All of the processes that occur in the body that turn the food you eat into energy your body can use.
Monounsaturated fat: Fats that are in foods are combinations of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fat is found in canola oil, olives and olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados.
Muscle Tension: A state where the muscles are in a general state of contraction.
Muscle Spasm: A sudden violent involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles. A muscle spasm is attended by pain and interference with function, producing involuntary movement and distortion. Caused by a build-up of lactic acid in the muscle.
Myofascial Pain: A chronic pain disorder that affects the fascia (the connective tissue that covers the muscles) and causes inflammation. May affect a single muscle or a muscle group.
Myofascial Release: Releasing the fascia (the sheath around a muscle) by targeted acupressure movements.
N
Nerve: The body’s communication system; nerves carry messages back and forth between the brain and all body parts.
Nerve Block: Pain relief method in which an anesthetic is injected into a nerve.
Nerve roots: Typically, nerve projections from the spinal cord.
Neurologist: A physician who specializes in treating diseases of the nervous system (associated brain and spinal cord neurons).
Neurosurgeon: A physician who specializes in surgery on the brain, nerves, and spinal cord.
Neurotransmitter: A chemical produced in the brain that sends messages between nerve cells.
Nucleus pulposus: Soft center of an intervertebral disc, made up of gel-like substance.
Nutrition: The relationship of food to the well-being of the body.
O
Orthopedic Surgeon: A doctor who specializes in diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Osteoarthritis: Mostly affects middle-aged and elderly men and women. In some, osteoarthritis may affect the spine’s facet joints, making it extremely painful to bend or twist.
Osteopathic Medicine: Particular attention is paid to muscles, joints, bones, and nerves through defined osteopathic manipulations. In addition to viewing the body as holistic.
Osteoporosis: A disease characterized by the loss of bone density, resulting in brittleness; most commonly affecting the spinal vertebrae, wrists and hips.
Osteophytes: Additional bone material, or overgrowths, that have been attributed to a wide variety of ailments. Also called bone spurs, osteophytes are manufactured by your body in response to a breakdown in existing bony structures. Sometimes, bone spurs can exert pressure on nerves, and this leads to pain.
Overuse injuries: Injuries that occur during the course of everyday activities, such as housework or exercise. Symptoms may include pain, muscle spasms, and stiffness.
P
Pancreas: A gland that makes enzymes that help the body break down and use nutrients in food. It also produces the hormones insulin and glucagon, releasing these into the bloodstream to help the body control blood sugar levels.
Plantar fasciitis: Inflammation of the ligament running from the front of the heel bone through the bottom of the foot. Repetitive motions such as quick stops and starts during sports, or long distance running, have sometimes been associated with Plantar fasciitis.
Phenylethanolamine (PEA): A chemical found in chocolate that elevates mood. It is thought to be the compound that causes chocolate cravings.
Physical Therapy: The physical practice of the body (by oneself or a health professional) that treats pain in muscles, nerves, joints, and bones with exercise, electrical stimulation, hydrotherapy, and the use of massage, heat, cold, and electrical devices.
Polyunsaturated fat: A highly unsaturated fat that is liquid at room temperature. Fats that are in foods are combinations of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids.
Protein: One of the three nutrients (the other two: carbonhydrates and fats) that provides calories to the body. Protein is an essential nutrient that helps build many parts of the body, including muscle, bone, skin, and blood. Protein provides 4 calories per gram and is found in foods like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, beans, nuts, and tofu.
QUACKERY (?fun def?). A natural process that unfortunately can be learned by anyone to create stress on the body’s physiology. The methods used increase tension, heighten anxiety, deliver pain and extract green stuff from you. You do NOT need to have big ears and four legs for this..
R
Relaxation Techniques: A natural process that can be learned by anyone to reverse the effects of stress on the body’s physiology. Methods used are to lessen tension, reduce anxiety, and manage pain.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: An inflammatory disease related to the immune system that affects the facet joints in the spine as well as other joints in the body including the hands, elbows, shoulders, fingers and toes.
Ruptured Disk: Herniated disk where material from the disk pushes through the outer lining of the disk.
S
Satiety: A mechanism to tell the body that it has had enough food. The most important satiety compounds are the hormone leptin and the fatty acid oleylethanolamine (OEA).
Saturated fat: A fat that is solid at room temperature. Fats that are in foods are combinations of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Saturated fat is found in high-fat dairy products (like cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, and regular ice cream), fatty fresh and processed meats, the skin and fat of chicken and turkey, lard, palm oil, and coconut oil.
Sciatic nerve: The nerve that serves the legs and originates from several levels of the lower back. Formed by multiple nerve roots from the lumbar spine; the sciatic nerve sends signals down the leg to control muscles and up the leg to provide sensations.
Sciatica: An inflammation of the sciatic nerve usually marked by tenderness along the course of the nerve through the buttocks, thigh, and leg.
Scoliosis: An abnormal curve of the spine.
Sedentary: The act of engaging in little to no leisure-time physical activity.
Serotonin: A neurotransmitter in the brain that elevates mood and decreases appetite.
Slipped Disk: This is a layman’s term, a misnomer and actually refers to an injured or degenerated disk that may be protruded against adjacent nerve tissues or a misalignment. It can either be a herniated disk, ruptured disk or prolapsed disk. If the disk is misaligned with an adjacent vertebrae, then an effective chiropractic adjustment may be able to put it back into its proper position.
Spina Bifida: A congenital defect of the spine in which the arches of the lower lumbar spine fail to form over the spinal cord, leaving the cord unprotected.
Spinal canal: The opening at the center of the spine through which the spinal cord runs.
Spinal cord: The root section of the central nervous system going down from the brain through the spinal column, where it divides into nerves.
Spinal column: The spine.
Spinal Fracture: Broken vertebrae in the spine.
Spinal cord: The column of nerve tissue that runs from the brain to the lower back.
Spinal fusion: A process in which the disc and cartilage is removed from between the vertebrae, and bone grafts (often harvested from the pelvis) are placed between or alongside the vertebrae to join the bones together.
Spinal stenosis: A narrowing of the spinal canal, that compresses the spinal cord and/or the nerve roots, cutting off their impulses to the muscles of the leg.
Spondyloarthopathy: A group of disorders that causes inflammatory arthritis of the spine.
Spondylitis: Inflammation of the spine generally caused by an infection.
Spondylolysis: This is a defect in the pars interarticularis of the neural arch connecting to the superior and inferior articular facets.
Spondylolisthesis: A spinal abnormality in which there is an anterior displacement of a vertebra on the one below, often resulting in back pain.
Stenosis: Narrowing of a portion of the spinal canal, usually because of bony overgrowth (see Spinal Stenosis).
Subluxation: A misalignment in the bony structures of the spine. Subluxations can create pressure or irritation on the various nerves in your spine, and can cause a wide variety of symptoms throughout your body, such as localized pain, soreness, irregularity, and weakness. An effective chiropractic adjustment usually solves these kind of problems.
T
Tendon: White fibrous bands of tissue that attach muscle to bone.
Tennis elbow: Also known as lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow is pain on the lateral, or outside part of the elbow, on or near the bony protrusion. It is usually caused by the overuse of the wrist extensor muscles, which leads to the inflammation of the tendon attachment.
Therapeutic massage: A form of massage that involves the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body to decrease muscle spasm, pain and to improve movement.
Thoracic Spine: Twelve vertebrae above the lumbar spine and below the cervical spine.
Thyroid hormone: A hormone released by the thyroid gland that stimulates metabolism and helps to regulate a range of biochemical processes in the body.
U
Unsaturated fat: A fat that is liquid at room temperature. Vegetable oils are unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats include polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. Sources of unsaturated fats include most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish such as salmon.
V
Vertebrae: The 24 cylindrical segments of bone that make up the vertebral column.
Vertebral column: The Spine. The flexible structure that forms the “backbone” of the skeleton, arranged a straight line from the base of the skull to the tailbone; also called spine.
Vertebral subluxation complex: Another term for subluxation that is used in the chiropractic profession.
W
Weight-cycle: Losing and gaining weight over and over again. Commonly called yo-yo dieting. With each cycle, there is a worsening of the percentage of body fat due to a loss of lean muscle tissue.
Whiplash: An injury to the cervical spine that occurs from rapid hyper-flexion, hyper-extension and compression movements, such as in an automobile accident.
X
X-Ray: A diagnostic imaging method that exposes photographic films with radiation passed through the body. It is most useful in diagnosing fractures, dislocations, abnormal positioning or other structural problems in bone.
Y
Yoga: A gentle exercise system consisting of numerous stretching movements that is extremely helpful in healing.
Z
ZEBRA (?fun def?): A gentle, black and white stripped exercise system consisting of numerous stretching movements that are extremely helpful in survival. Big ears and four feet are required..