Back Pain Special Report
Back Pain and Osteoporosis Glossary
Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Back Pain and Osteoporosis Back Pain and Osteoporosis Glossary
Johns Hopkins Back Pain and Osteoporosis Glossary
Derived from The Johns Hopkins White Paper: Back Pain and Osteoporosis
acupressure
Type of massage in which continuous pressure is exerted on a trigger spot for 3–5 minutes. acupuncture
Traditional Chinese treatment in which thin needles are placed at specific spots along the body.acute
Illness or symptoms that appear suddenly and have a short course.alkaline phosphatase
Enzyme released by bone-forming cells called osteoblasts. Blood levels of the enzyme are elevated in people with Paget’s disease.analgesic
An agent that alleviates pain without causing loss of consciousness.ankylosing spondylitis
Chronic inflammation of the facet joints and sacroiliac joints (between the sacrum and the pelvis).annulus fibrosus
Tough, fibrous layers of tissue that cover an intervertebral disk.balance exercise
A type of exercise that, when practiced regularly, can increase balance and help prevent falls; examples are tai chi and yoga.biofeedback
Back pain treatment in which the person practices different relaxation methods while using electronic sensors to measure bodily functions, such as muscle tension, breathing patterns, and heart rate.bisphosphonates
A class of drugs that help preserve bone mass by slowing bone resorption.body mechanics
Habitual ways of moving that can affect back health.bone mass
The amount of bone tissue in the body.bone mineral density testing
Radiological testing to measure bone density. Testing gives accurate measurements of the amount of bone but not the actual structure or quality of bone.bone quality
The architecture/geometry and the material properties of bone and bone tissue.bone remodeling
Process by which old bone is resorbed and new bone is formed.bone resorption
Breakdown of old bone.bone scan
Imaging test that involves injecting radioactive technetium and then measuring how much radioactivity is taken up by specific areas of bone. This test can detect metastatic cancer, bony overgrowths in Paget’s disease, bacterial infections of the spine, and small fractures that are not visible on x-rays.bone spur
See osteophytes.
calcitonin
A naturally occurring hormone involved in calcium regulation and bone metabolism.calcium carbonate/citrate
Forms of calcium used for calcium supplementation.cauda equina
Bundle of nerve roots at the bottom of the spinal cord.caudal epidural block
Injection of medication directly into the base of the spine.cervical spine
Refers to the neck.chiropractor
Health-care professional who uses techniques such as physical manipulation and adjustment of the spine, massage, application of heat or cold, and electrical stimulation to treat back problems.coccyx
A term for the tailbone.collagen
A soft protein that hardens with the deposition of calcium and phosphorus; it is a main component of bone.Colles fracture
A common type of fracture in which the break occurs across the end of the main bone of the forearm.compression fracture
Fracture of a vertebral body that results in loss of height or complete collapse of the vertebral body; it usually occurs in bones weakened by osteoporosis.computed tomography (CAT or CT) scan
Imaging technique in which the person lies on a special table while x-rays are passed through the body and sensed by a detector that rotates 360 degree around the person. A computer combines the information into a cross-sectional picture that shows body structures and fluids, blood clots, tumors, and bones.CT myelogram
CT scan carried out after contrast material is injected into the spinal canal; it offers good detail of bone and soft tissue.decompression surgery
A procedure that involves enlarging the spinal canal to relieve pressure on the spinal cord.deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Blood clotting that occurs in the deep veins of the leg.dietary reference intake (DRI)
Recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals as determined by the Institute of Medicine.disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
Drugs that interfere with tumor necrosis factor, which contributes to inflammation.diskectomy
Surgical treatment for a herniated disk that takes pressure off a pinched nerve by making an incision in the annulus fibrosus and removing the extruded nucleus pulposus.disk replacement
Surgical procedure that replaces a herniated disk with an artificial one.displacement
Movement of bone fragments from their original positions.dowager’s hump
Kyphosis in the upper back. Common in older women, it can result from disk degeneration, the collapse of vertebrae due to osteoporosis, or both.dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)
A test toPosted in Back Pain on April 14, 2007
