A

acupuncture - a method of producing pain relief or altering the function of systems in the body by inserting fine, wire-thin needles into the skin at specific sites on the body along a series of lines, or channels, called meridians; a modality that is sometimes used in back pain relief

acute - beginning abruptly with marked intensity or sharpness, then subsiding after a relatively short period of time; sharp or severe

adhesions - abnormal bands of tissue that grow between the joint surfaces, restricting motion

artery - any tubular, branching vessel that carries blood from the heart throughout the body

arthralgia - pain in a joint, usually due to arthritis or arthropathy

arthritis - literally means joint inflammation; a general term for more than 100 conditions, known as rheumatic diseases, that affect not only the joints but also other parts of the body, including important supporting structures such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments, as well as some internal organs

antibody - special protein produced by the body’s immune system that recognizes and helps fight infectious agents and other foreign substances that invade the body

autologous blood - blood donated by the patient prior to surgery to be used for that patient’s surgery

 
B

bone graft - bone tissue usually taken from the ileum of the pelvis or bone bank used for fusing vertebrae together in spinal surgery

bone scan - a procedure in which a concentration of radioactive substance that has an affinity for specific tissue is injected into the blood stream to enhance the images of bone activity

bursitis - inflamed bursa; usually a noninfectious condition

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8