BackCare has compiled a back pain glossary to help you in understanding your condition and the numerous treatments available. From A (acupuncture) to Z (zeugmatography); BackCare’s glossary covers them all!
Click on the first letter of the word you are looking for or scroll down the list below.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Acupuncture:
Ankylosing Spondylitis: A painful, inflammatory disease of unknown origin that causes the sacroiliac joints and spinal vertebrae to fuse(ankylose) together.
Annulus Fibrosus: The tough, fibrous outer casing of the intervertebral disc that holds the nucleus pulposus in place.
Anterior: Front
Apophyseal joint: Another name for the facet joint.
Arachnoiditis: A disease where dense scar tissue forms around the nerves of the spine causing symptoms such as burning pain, pins and needles, numbness and weakness.
B |
Back to top |
Bilateral: On both sides of the body.
Blood tests: Blood is taken via a hypodermic needle from a vein in the forearm. It is then tested to check for signs of infection, anaemia, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. The procedure of taking blood is referred to as venepuncture.
Bone Scan: These may be radio-isotope type (as safe as an x-ray) for tumours, infections and some fractures, or, ultrasound type for osteoporosis and some soft tissue injuries.
C |
Back to top |
Cauda equina: This literally means 'horse's tail' and is used to describe the nerve fibres at the end of the spinal cord, below the level of the second lumbar vertebra (L2)
Cerebrospinal fluid: The clear fluid that bathes the brain and the spinal cord. It is re-moved for testing through a lumbar puncture. It is into this fluid that the radio-opaque fluid for a myelogram is injected.
Cervical: This term describes the neck, which is made up of seven vertebrae.
Chemonucleolysis: This is a procedure thereby, an enzyme derived from the papaya fruit is injected into the intervertebral disc to shrink it and try and alleviate pain caused from a bulging disc.
Coccyx: This is the last bone of the spine that is made up of four tiny, fused vertebrae.
Coccygodynia (Coccydynia): Pain in the coccvx region. It can occur following a fall or other trauma. It can also be secondary to low back pain. Muscle spasm can occur in the piriformis, levator ani and coccygetis muscles.
Computerised Tomography (CT) Scan: This is an investigation that is performed as an outpatient in the scanning unit. It is a painless procedure and takes an average of twentv minutes. Cross-sectional images are produced from information received through beams of x-ravs going through the body.
Congenital: Being present at birth.
Conservative management: This describes any nonsurgical treatment of back pain e.g. physical therapies, pain killers, traction, exercises, massage.
C.T. Scan (Catscan): A sophisticated x-ray technique for showing bone detail primarily. Less claustrophobic than MRI.
D |
Back to top |
Decompression: Surgical procedure for relieving pressure usually on a nerve or the spinal cord.
Degeneration: The process of change, usuallv with age, in bone or soft tissue. Sometimes referred to as 'wear and tear'.
Degenerative Disc Disease: The discs undergo a process of change from a supple, flexible struc-ture that allows movement and acts as a cushion, to a stiff and rigid one that restricts the amount of movement and is a less effective cushion. This process can start as early as the 20th to 30th year of life and by the 60th year it would be a universal finding on x-ray examination.
Dermatome:
An area of the skin that is known to be served by a specific spinal nerve.
Disc: see intervertebral disc
Disc: One of the 23 shock-absorbing, pads that act as spacers of the vertebrae. Sometimes referred to as inter-vertebral disc. See annulus fibrosis, nucleus pulposus and vertebral endplates.
Discectomy: The surgical removal of part of the disc that has prolapsed, bulged or ruptured causing, pressure on spinal nerves. This operation can be done by an open method, by microsurgery or by a minimally invasive technique.
Discography: An investigation that is done as an aid to a surgeon prior to surgery. A contrast medium is injected into the disc nucleus and a series of x-rays taken that will show up the structure of a disc on the discogram. The person’s pain reaction can also help determine which disc is causing the pain.
E |
Back to top |
Epidural: Epidurals are given for the relief of leg pain. A cocktail of drugs containing a corticosteriod and a local anaesthetic is injected into the epidural space, between the bone and the membrane that encloses the spinal cord.
F |
Back to top |
Facet joints: As one vertebra sits on another the top of one and the bottom of the other meet at two places referred to as the facet joints. They are synovial joints, that is they are encapsulated and produce a lubricating fluid.
Fenestration: (Latin, fenestra = a window). Surgical procedure for accessing spinal nerves or a disc prolapse.
Foramen: This is the gap between the pedicies of the vertebrae that holds nerve roots as they emerge from the spinal cord to the left and right.
Fusion: Surgical procedure designed to abolish movement across a joint. Usually involves bone grafting and sometimes metal fixation. Often takes 8 – 12 weeks to be secure.
G |
Back to top |
H |
Back to top |
Herniation: The bulging through of a part of the body e.g. the nucleus pulposus can herniate through the annulus fibrosus.
I |
Back to top |
Instability: A term used to describe an abnormal increase in the movement of one vertebrae to another.
Intervertebral disc: the tough, gel-like substance in between vertebrae. Acts as a shock absorber. The disc consists of an outer ring (the annulus) and a gel-like substance in the middle (the nucleus).
J |
Back to top |
K |
Back to top |
Kyphosis: The convex curve of the thoracic spine. It can be over exaggerated in such diseases as Osteoporosis or Scheuermann's disease.
L |
Back to top |
Laminectomy: This is an operation to remove part of the bony arch at the back of a vertebra. This is done to gain access to the nerves in the foramen and allow them more space.
Lordosis: The concave curve found in the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine, Can be a deformity if it is excessive.
Ligaments: These are bands of fibrous tissue that bind a joint and control its range of movement.
Lumbar: The area of the spine between the thoracic vertebrae and the sacrum.
Lumbago: An imprecise term for low back pain.
M |
Back to top |
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): a medical imaging technique that uses a strong magnetic field to visualise structures un the body. Especially suitable for visualising softer structures.
Myelography: A water-soluble, radio-opaque dye is injected into the cerebro-spinal fluid. This allows nerve tissue to be viewed on x-ray and enables a doctor to trace any nerve entrapment. This is an invasive procedure that many people report to be unpleasant!
N |
Back to top |
National Back Pain Association (NBPA): the registered name of the charity BackCare.
Nerve Root: The start of the nerve as it leaves the spinal cord or cauda equina and passes through the left and right foramen to serve an area of the body.
Nucleus Pulposus: the gel-like inside of an intervertebral disc. It has a high fluid content in our early years and dries out with age.
O |
Back to top |
Osteoarthritis: The degenerative change of a joint, which makes it less able to withstand stresses and strains, causing pain and change to the shape of the joint.
Osteophytes: This is extra bone growth on the edges of the vertebrae which can cause narrowing of the nerve canals.
Osteoporosis: a condition whereby the bones lose some of their mineral content and become less dense. Bones that are osteoporotic are more at risk for fractures.
P |
Back to top |
Peridural Fibrosis: Scar tissue formation around the dura. This can be as a result of natural degenerative processes or of invasive treatments, such as surgery.
Primary care: healthcare that is offered in the community and not in hospitals or specialist centres. General practitioners are an example of healthcare professionals who work in primary care.
Q |
Back to top |
R |
Back to top |
Randomized controlled trial (RCT): a research study whereby participants are randomly allocated to two or more groups who receive different treatment. This is the best way of testing the effectiveness of one treatment with an alternative treatment.
Retrolisthesis: see Spondylolisthesis
S |
Back to top |
Sacrum: The area of the spine between the lumbar vertebrae and the coccyx, which consists of 5 fused vertebrae.
Scheuermann's: Sometimes referred to as Spinal Osteochondritis. This is a developmental abnormality in the intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies causing them to become wedge-shaped. This can cause an increase in the kyphotic curve and predispose the person to premature wear and tear. Exercise and attention to posture and lifestyle are important to prevent pain and deformity
Scoliosis: A sideways curvature of the spine, which can be caused by a congenital deformity or a temporary reaction caused by muscle spasm.
Sciatica: Strictly speaking it is pain along the length of the sciatic nerve, that is down the back of the thigh, through the calf and into the foot. It is sometimes used more loosely to describe any leg symptoms.
Spinal canal: The hole that runs the length of the spine containing the spinal cord, its covering and the nerves that leave it in pairs at each level of vertebrae.
Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the width of the canal causing pressure on the nerve held within it. This can occur in the central spinal canal and in the lateral (side) nerve root canals.
Spondylo: A prefix meaning the vertebrae or the spinal column.
Spondylitis: Inflammation of any of the spinal vertebrae. This can be because of injury, infection or rheumatoid disease see Ankylosing Spondylitis)
Spondylolisthesis: A condition where one vertebra slips out of alignment with another. Most common is the fourth over the fifth lumbar vertebra or the fifth over the sacrum. The causes can be congenital or due to structural defects,
degenerative changes and injury. Some people have it without symptoms, but others have major pain and nerve-related symptoms. Called retrolisthesis if the slippage is backwards.
Spondylolysis: A crack in the neural arch of the vertebra that can predispose to a Spondvlolisthesis. This can be congenital, caused by over-use or found in people with a history of falls.
Spondylosis: A condition of the spine where the discs have narrowed and osteophytes have formed at the junction of the disc and vertebra. This can lead to stiffness and eventually fixation of the joint.
Syndrome: Term used to denote a collection of symptoms, e.g. chronic back syndrome.
T |
Back to top |
Thoracic: The region of the spine between the neck and the lumbar vertebrae. The ribs connect with the 12 thoracic vertebrae.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): A battery powered machine that delivers small electric shocks via adhesively attached electrodes, placed either side of the spine with the aim of blocking the pain messages to the brain and producing the bodies natural pain killers, endorphins.
U |
Back to top |
V |
Back to top |
Venepuncture: (see Blood Tests)
Vertebrae (Plural) Vertebra (Single): The 33 bones of the spine, 24 of which are single and jointed, the others being fused.
Vertebral End Plates: The top and bottom of the vertebral body that comes into contact with the disc.
W |
Back to top |
X |
Back to top |
X-ray: a medical image technique that is particularly used to visualise dense structures in the body such as bones. In most people with back pain x-rays do not show any abnormalities.
Y |
Back to top |
Z |
Back to top |
Zeugmatography: another word for MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanning.