Osteoporosis Glossary of Terms

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Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Absorb: 1. To take something in, as through the skin or the intestine.
2....

Acid reflux: A common condition and an abnormal one in which acid in the stomach rises up...

Acquired: Not inherited, or present at birth (congenital), but developing after birth. For...

Aerobic: Oxygen-requiring. Aerobic bacteria need oxygen to grow. Aerobic exercise requires...

Androgen: A male sex hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of the male s...

Ankle: The ankle joint is complex. It is made up of two joints: the true ankle joint and ...

Anorexia: An eating disorder characterized by markedly reduced appetite or total aversion...

Anorexia nervosa: See Anorexia.

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

Back pain: Pain felt in the low or upper back. Causes of pain in the low and upper back in...

Bisphosphonate: A class of drugs used to strengthen bone. Bisphosphonates are used to trea...

Blood clots: Blood that has been converted from a liquid to a solid state. Also called a t...

Bone cancer: A malignancy of bone. Primary bone cancer (cancer that begins in bone) is rar...

Bone density: Bone density is the amount of bone tissue in a certain volume of bone. It ca...

Bone mineral density: BMD, a measure of bone density, reflecting the strength of bones as ...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breast cancer: Breast cancer is diagnosed with self- and physician-examination of the brea...

Bulimia: Also called bulimia nervosa. An eating disorder characterized by episodes of secr...

Calcitonin: A hormone produced by the thyroid gland that lowers the levels of calcium and ...

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

Cascade: A sequence of successive activation reactions involving enzymes (enzyme cascade) ...

Cholesterol: The most common type of steroid in the body. Cholesterol has a reputation for...

Clinical trials: Trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medications or medical...

Compression: 1. The act of pressing together. As in a compression fracture, nerve c...

Constipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. Constipation is the op...

Cushing syndrome: The constellation of symptoms and signs caused by an excess of cortisol ...

DEXA: Dual energy X-ray absorptometry. See: DXA.

Dowager's hump: An abnormal outward curvature of the thoracic vertebrae of the upper back....

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Endocrine: Pertaining to hormones and the glands that make and secrete them into the blood...

Esophagus: The tube that connects the pharynx (throat) with the stomach. The esophagus lie...

Essential: In medicine, of unknown cause, as in essential hypertension (high blood pressur...

Estrogen: A female steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts,...

Estrogens: Female hormones produced by the ovaries. Estrogen deficiency can lead to osteop...

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

Fracture: A break in bone or cartilage. Although usually a result of trauma, a fracture ca...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic
information.

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Heartburn: An uncomfortable feeling of burning and warmth occurring in waves rising up be...

Hip fracture: Broken bone in the hip, a key health problem among the elderly, usually due ...

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

Hot flashes: A sudden wave of mild or intense body heat caused by rushes of hormonal chang...

Humerus: The long bone in the upper arm that extends from the shoulder to the elbow.

Hysterectomy: An operation to remove the uterus. Hysterectomies are most commonly performe...

Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular ...

Induced menopause (and "menopause, induced"): Menopause induced by an unusual event, suc...

Internal medicine: The medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and medical treatment ...

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

Kneecap: The patella, the small bone in the front of the knee. The patella is a little (se...

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

Low back pain: Pain in the lower back area that can relate to problems with the lumbar spi...

Menopause: The time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop; it is also...

Menstrual: Pertaining to menstruation (the menses), as in last menstrual period, menstrua...

Metabolism: The whole range of biochemical processes that occur within a living organism. ...

Mortality: A fatal outcome or, in one word, death. The word "mortality" is derived from "m...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Neck pain: Neck pain is the sensation of discomfort in the neck area. Neck pain can result...

Occupational therapist: A licensed health professional who is trained to evaluate patients...

Offspring: The progeny, or young, born to a person. In a larger sense, the offspring are c...

Osteopenia: Mild thinning of the bone mass. Osteopenia represents a low bone mass and is n...

Osteoporosis: Thinning of the bones, with reduction in bone mass, due to depletion of calc...

Paget disease: A chronic bone disorder that typically results in enlarged, deformed bones ...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pain management: The process of providing medical care that alleviates or reduces pain. Mi...

Parathyroid hormone: See Parathormone.

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

Pelvis: The lower part of the abdomen, located between the hip bones. Structures in the fe...

Peripheral: Situated away from the center, as opposed to centrally located.

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Phosphate: A form of phosphoric acid. Calcium phosphate makes bones and teeth hard.

Phosphorus: An essential element in the diet and a major component of bone.

Postmenopausal: After menopause, the period of time after a woman has experienced 12 conse...

Posture: The carriage of the body as a whole, the attitude of the body, or the position of...

Prevalence: The proportion of individuals in a population having a disease or characterist...

Probability: The likelihood that something will happen. For example, a probability of less...

Progestin: Any one of a group of steroid hormones that have the effect of progesterone.

Radiate: To spread out from a central area. For example, sciatic pain may radiate outward ...

Receptor: 1. In cell biology, a structure on the surface of a cell (or inside a cel...

Reflux: The term used when liquid backs up into the esophagus from the stomach.

Resorption: The process of losing substance. For example, when bone is surgically reshaped...

Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of joint...

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the nonsurgical evaluation...

Risk factor: Something that increases a person's chances of developing a disease. For exam...

Shin: 1. The tibia, the larger of the two bones in the lower leg.
2. T...

Shinbone: The larger of the two bones in the lower leg (the smaller one being the fibula)....

Skeletal: Pertaining to the skeleton, the bones of the body that collectively provide the ...

Spinal compression: The act of exerting an abnormal amount of pressure on the spinal cord...

Spine: 1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects ...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages th...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Thromboembolism: Formation in a blood vessel of a clot (thrombus) that breaks loose and is...

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A p...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves. Ultra-sound waves can be bounced off tissues by us...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Uterine lining: The inner layer of the uterus (womb); the cells that line the womb; anatom...

Uterus: A hollow, pear-shaped organ that is located in a woman's lower abdomen, between th...

Vertebrae: The preferred plural of vertebra. (The alternate plural is vertebras.) See also...

Vitamin D: A steroid vitamin which promotes the intestinal absorption and metabolism of ca...

Vitamins: The word "vitamin" was coined in 1911 by the Warsaw-born biochemist Casimir Funk...

World Health Organization: The subagency of the United Nations (UN) that is concerned with...

Wrist: The part of the hand that is nearest the forearm and consists of the carpal bones a...

X-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used...

Youth: The time between childhood and maturity.