Glossary of Terms
Herniated Disc
A painful rupture of the fibrocartilage of the disc between spinal vertebrae; occurs most often in the lumbar region
Bulged disc
A bulging disk is a condition related to the spine, usually the lumbar, or lower back, that occurs when a disk bulges through a crevice in the spine. Disks are the soft, gelatinous material that cushions the vertebrae of the spine. A bulging disk occurs when the disk shifts out of its normal radius and most often occurs simply as a result of age.
Spinal Stenosis
A syndrome that results in narrowing of the dimensions of the spinal canal due to disc disease, bony changes ligamentous thickening and congenital factors.
Osteoarthritis
Chronic breakdown of cartilage in the joints; the most common form of arthritis occurring usually after middle age
Chronic
A disease or condition that persists or progresses over a long period of time
Lumbar
The vertebrae of the lower back, consisting of 5 bones
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain in muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons.
Degenerative disc disease
Condition where the spinal disc loses structural integrity from wear and tear, aging, or trauma. Consequences may be: disc space narrowing, osteophyte formation, disc bulging, or herniation.
Low back pain
Low back pain (sometimes referred to generally as lumbago) is a common symptom of musculoskeletal disorders or of disorders involving the lumbar
Neck pain
Neck pain (or cervicalgia) is a common problem, with two-thirds of the population having neck pain at some point in their lives.
Sciatica
Sciatica (or sciatic neuritis)[1] is a set of symptoms including pain that may be caused by general compression and/or irritation of one of five nerve roots that give rise to the sciatic nerve, or by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve itself.
Scoliosis
Scoliosis (from Greek: skoliōsis meaning “crooked condition,” from skolios, “crooked”)[1] is a medical condition in which a person’s spine is curved from side to side and may also be rotated. On an x-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with a typical scoliosis may look more like an “S” or a “C” than a straight line
Pinched nerve
The term pinched nerve describes one type of damage or injury to a nerve or set of nerves. The injury may result from compression, constriction, or stretching. Symptoms include numbness, “pins and needles” or burning sensations, and pain radiating outward from the injured area.
Spine
Spinal column: the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord.
Nucleus palposus
Nucleus pulposus is the jelly-like substance in the middle of the spinal disc. It is the remnant of the notochord. It functions to distribute hydraulic pressure in all directions within each disc under compressive loads.