A-E
Abdominal
Referring to the body area including the stomach, intestines and other digestive organs.
Acupuncture
A therapy using fine needles to control the body's energy flows.
Analgesic
Pain-killing.
Anti-inflammatory
Reducing the inflammation that causes pain.
Ankylosing spondylitis
A painful disease that causes the joints to swell up and the bones to fuse together.
Bilateral
On both sides of the body.
Cervical
Refers to the seven vertebrae that make up the neck.
Coccyx
The last bone of the spine, often called the 'tail bone', made up of four tiny joined vertebrae.
Congenital
Present at birth.
Conservative management
The non-surgical treatment of back problems.
Counselling
The opportunity to talk things over with a trained counsellor, who can offer new ideas for coping.
Diagnosis
Identification of a disease or change in a person's mind and/or body.
Degeneration of the disc
The discs between the vertebrae break up as they become more rigid, restricting movement of the spine and increasing wear on the vertebrae.
Epidural
Drugs injected into the spine, for the relief of pain.
F-J
Facet joints
The point at which two vertebrae meet and move against each other.
Fracture
A break in the bone.
Herbalism
Use of plants and herbal remedies to treat illness.
Herniated
Bulging through a part of the body, such as the soft core of a disc through its tough outer coating.
Inflammation
The body's reaction to injury or disease, which includes swelling, pain, heat and tenderness.
Intramuscular
Given by injection into a muscle.
IntravenousGiven by injection into a vein.
Ligament
Bands of fibrous tissue that bind the bones together at a joint.
Lumbago
An imprecise term for low back pain.
K-O
Non-specific lower back pain
A name sometimes given to pain caused by damage to the muscles and ligaments in and around the lumbar vertebrae.
Nerve root
The start of a nerve as it leaves the spinal cord.
Occupational therapists
Health professionals, also known as OTs, who find ways to help people live at home independently, despite their illness.
Orally
Given by mouth.
Orthopaedic
Referring to the branch of medicine which deals with problems of the skeleton.
Osteoporosis
A disease which makes the bone less dense and more brittle.
P-Z
Pathology
The branch of medicine concerned with the examination of diseased tissues.
Pelvis
The bony circle formed by the hip bones and the sacrum and coccyx of the lower back.
Prognosis
An assessment of the expected future course and outcome of a person's disease.
Psychologist
A specialist in the processes of the mind and behaviour.
Radiographer
The member of the health care team who takes x-rays and scans.
Radiologist
A doctor who understands and interprets a scan or an x-ray.
Radiology
The use of x-rays in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
Sacrum
The solid flat area at the bottom of the spine forming the back of the pelvis, consisting of five fused vertebrae.
Sciatica
Pain along the length of the sciatic nerve running down the back of the leg. Often used to describe leg symptoms.
Scoliosis
A sideways curvature of the spine.
Shiatsu
A form of massage which works on the energy flow around the body, and which can be helpful for stress-related conditions.
Spasm
Sudden and/or continued contraction of muscles, which can cause immobilising pain.
Spinal canal
The hole running down the length of the spine, containing the spinal cord.
Spinal stenosis
Narrowing of the width of spinal canal, which may put pressure on the nerves.
Spondylolisthesis
A condition in which one vertebra slips out of alignment with the other.
Spondylosis
A condition of the spine resulting from wear and tear and degeneration. It causes the discs to narrow and extra bone growth to occur between disc and vertebrae.
Symptom
A change in the body and the way it works, usually indicating disease or injury.
Therapy
A word often used to mean treatment.
Thoracic
Referring to the chest area, or the 12 thoracic vertebrae to which ribs connect.
Visualisation
A way of becoming relaxed, involving putting an image into your mind and altering it as you wish.
Yoga
A combination of relaxation, breathing techniques and exercise which combats stress, and helps circulation and movement of the joints.
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