Medical Terms

Library Of Orthopedic Medical Definitions:

Benign Positional Vertigo - A type of spinning sensation often caused by Otoliths (calcium crystals) hyper stimulating the balance mechanism in the ear. Sometimes called BPPV (Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo).

Bursa - Sacks filled with synovial (joint) fluid that help protect bone and tendon. They are located between bones and tendons and help with the friction caused by moving tendons.

Bursitis - Inflammation of Bursa. The patient usually has pain over a generalized hard to pin-point area.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - An overuse problem where inflammation of the Carpal Tunnel in the wrist causes hand and possible forearm pain. Computer work and working with vibrating tools are common causes.

Counterstrain - The technique discovered by Osteopath Larry Jones that gently relaxes muscle spasms through a nerve proprioceptor reflex resetting.

Cranial Sacral Manipulation - A very gentle form of Osteopathic manipulation that deals with minor fluctuations of the cerebrospinal fluid and mobility of the cranial bones. Used often in the treatment of migraine and tension headaches.

Epley's - An effective maneuver that treats vertigo caused by otoliths. The procedure works by displacing the otoliths from a highly sensitive area in the inner ear to a highly insensitive area.

Illiotibial Band Syndrome - The thick band of tissue on the outside portion of the leg, just above the knee, becomes painful. Chronic overuse activities such as running and bicycling are usually the cause.

Ligament - The fibrous material that connects bone to bone.

Myofascial Release - A type of Osteopathic Manipulation that is gentle and focuses on loosening overly tight fascia (the fibrous like material that runs under the skin and through muscles).

Osteoarthritis - The most common form of arthritis that is caused by wear over time on a joint. Past severe trauma to a joint can also contribute to development of this form of arthritis.

Osteopathic Manipulation - A type of manual treatment that aligns bones, reduces muscle spasms and can have a positive effect on blood and lymph flow.

Osteoporosis - Weakening of the structure of the bone which leads to a higher fracture risk. This is most commonly seen in women after menopause and in both men and women after the age of 70.

Otoliths - Also called canaliths or calcium crystals. These are in the inner ear and can get into the wrong part of the balance mechanism and cause vertigo.

Prolotherapy - Prolotherapy involves injections around joints that stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanism to help repair damaged or weakened tissue. It is also known as regenerative injection therapy.

Proprioceptor - Sensory nerves that tell the brain how long or short a particular muscle, tendon or joint capsule is.

Plantar Fasciitis - A condition causing pain on the thick band of tissue at the bottom of the foot. The pain is usually found where this thick band attaches at the heel.

Rotator Cuff Muscles - Consists of the four muscles (supraspinatous, infraspinatous, subscapularis and teres minor) that are the primary stabilizers of the shoulder.

Rotator Cuff Tear - Tear of one or more of the rotator cuff tendons. Tear can be partial or complete. It is usually associated with shoulder weakness and pain.

Sciatica - Pain in the back or buttocks that travels down the leg. Causes are numerous but include herniated disc, Piriformis Syndrome and alignment issues.

Scoliosis - Side to side curvature of spine. Idiopathic Scoliosis has no known cause and is commonly first noted as a child or in adolescence. Other causes include muscle imbalance and congenital (born with this) malformations.

Short Leg Syndrome - Unequal leg lengths cause imbalance of the posture. This makes the pelvis unlevel and can subsequently lead to back pain. Causes include simple muscle spasm to a truly short leg bone.

Somatic Dysfunction - A problem in the musculoskeletal system so as to cause tenderness, asymmetry, tissue changes or a decreased range of motion.

Tendinitis - Inflammation of a tendon. Common examples are Tennis Elbow and Jumper's Knee (Patellar Tendinitis).

Tendons - The fibrous material that attaches muscles to bones.

Trigger Point - Very gentle pressure on specific points (usually muscular) causes a pain beyond that which would be expected.

Vertigo - A feeling that you are spinning or the room is spinning.

Viscosuplementation - A non-steroid type of joint injection done usually on knee osteoarthritis. This lubricates the joint.

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