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June 19, 2013


Shoulder and Neck Pain Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Shoulder and Neck Pain article.

Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

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

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

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Aorta: The largest artery in the body, the aorta arises from the left ventricle of the he...

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Artery: A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the far...

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

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Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

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Bursa: A closed, fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction b...

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Bursae: Plural of bursa.

Bursitis: Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a tiny fluid-filled sac that fu...

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Cast: 1) A protective shell of fiberglass, plastic, or plaster, and bandage that is molde...

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Cervical: Having to do with any kind of neck, including the neck on which the head is perc...

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Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

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Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

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

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Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

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Clavicle: The bone extending from the breastbone (sternum) at the base of the front of the...

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Collarbone: A horizontal bone above the first rib that makes up the front part of the shou...

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CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

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Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

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Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

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Disc: Shortened terminology for an intervertebral disc, a disk-shaped piece of specialized...

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Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

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ECG: Electrocardiogram.

Electrocardiogram: A recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Abbreviated ECG an...

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

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Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

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

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Frozen shoulder: Permanent severe limitation of the range of motion of the shoulder due to...

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Gallbladder: A pear-shaped organ located below the liver that stores the bile secreted by ...

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Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

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

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Heart attack: The death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. The loss of bloo...

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Herniation: Abnormal protrusion of tissue through an opening.

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

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Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

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

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Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

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Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

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Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

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Joint: The area where two bones are attached for the purpose of permitting body parts to m...

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Ligament: A tough band of connective tissue that connects various structures, such as two ...

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Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

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MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

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

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Muscular: Having to do with the muscles. Also, endowed with above average muscle developme...

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

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

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

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Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

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Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

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Orthopedist: An orthopedic surgeon, a physician who corrects congenital or functional abno...

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

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

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Physical therapy: A branch of rehabilitative health that uses specially designed exercises...

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Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

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Radiculopathy: Any disease of the spinal nerve roots and spinal nerves. Radiculopathy is c...

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Range of motion: The full movement potential of a joint, usually its range of flexion and ...

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Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

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Referred pain: Pain felt at a site other than where the cause is situated. An example is t...

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Rehabilitation: The process of helping a person who has suffered an illness or injury rest...

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Rotator cuff: A group of four tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint. Each of these ten...

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Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

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Scapula: The shoulder blade (or "wingbone"), the familiar flat triangular bone at the back...

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Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming...

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Shortness of breath: Difficulty in breathing. Medically referred to as dyspnea. Shortness ...

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Shoulder: A structure made up of two main bones: the scapula (shoulder blade) and the hume...

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Shoulder blade: The familiar flat triangular bone at the back of the shoulder. Known famil...

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Shoulder dislocation: See: Dislocated shoulder

Shoulder pain: Pain in the shoulder due to an injury or disease. The design of the shoulde...

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Spinal cord: The major column of nerve tissue that is connected to the brain and lies with...

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

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Spondylosis: Degeneration of the disc spaces between the vertebrae. Spondylosis is common ...

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Sprain: An injury to a ligament that results from overuse or trauma. The treatment of a sp...

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Strain: 1. An injury to a tendon or muscle resulting from overuse or trauma. 2. A heredita...

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Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

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

Tendinitis: Inflammation of a tendon (the tissue by which muscle attaches to bone). Tendin...

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Tension: 1) The pressure within a vessel, such as blood pressure: the pressure within t...

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

TMJ: Temporomandibular joint.

TMJ syndrome: Temporomandibular joint 'syndrome.

Tobacco: A South American herb (Nicotiana tabacum) whose leaves contain 2 to 8 percent nic...

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Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Whiplash injury: A hyperextension and flexion injury to the neck, often a result of being ...

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