Glossary of Terms

Pain and Symptom Management

A - B - C - E - F - G- H - I - L - M - N - O - P - S - T - V - Y

Acupressure
An ancient Chinese treatment based on the theory that chi, or vital energy, circulates in the body along energy pathways, or meridians, linked to different organ systems. Finger pressure is used on acupoints to stimulate and rebalance energy, and to treat ailments such as tension, menstrual cramps, and arthritis.

Acupuncture
A technique similar to acupressure, except that fine needles are inserted at specific at specific points along the meridians just under the skin to stimulate, disperse, and balance the flow of energy, relieve pain, and treat a variety of chronic, acute, and degenerative conditions.

Acute Pain
Acute pain is the normal, predicted physiological response to a noxious chemical, thermal or mechanical stimulus and typically is associated with invasive procedures, trauma and disease. It is generally time-limited.

Addiction
Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiological disease, with genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include the following: impaired control over drug use, craving, compulsive use, and continued use despite harm. Physical dependence and tolerance are normal physiological consequences of extended opioid therapy for pain and are not the same as addiction.

Adjuvant Analgesic Drug
A drug that is not a primary analgesic but that research has shown to have independent or additive analgesic properties when used in conjunction with a standard analgesic medication.

Alternative Care
A group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.

Analgesic
A medication that reduces or eliminates pain.

Aromatherapy
Essential oils extracted from plants are either inhaled or absorbed directly through the skin to calm emotions and harmonize moods. It is also used as a supportive treatment for respiratory problems, skin disorders and immune deficiencies.

Behavioral Techniques
A coping strategy in which patients are taught to monitor and evaluate their own behavior and to modify their reactions to pain.

Biofeedback Training
A method that teaches how to consciously regulate unconscious body processes such as breathing, blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate, to relieve pain and stress-related conditions including asthma, hypertension, and migraine headaches.

Breathwork
In a variety of techniques, patterned breathing is used to promote physical, mental, and/or spiritual wellbeing.

Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a state in which pain persists beyond the usual course of an acute disease or healing of an injury, or that may or may not be associated with an acute or chronic pathologic process that causes continuous or intermittent pain over months or years.

Complementary
Mutually making up what is lacking. That which completes or brings to perfection

Cryoanalqesia
The destruction of peripheral nerves by extreme cold to achieve prolonged pain relief.

Cryotherapy
The therapeutic use of cold to reduce discomfort, limit progression of tissue edema, or break a cycle of muscle spasm.

Deafferentation Pain
Pain due to loss of sensory input into the central nervous system, as occurs with avulsion of the brachial plexus or other types of lesions of peripheral nerves or because of pathology of the central nervous system.

Epidural
Situated within the spinal canal, on or outside the dura mater (tough membrane surrounding the spinal cord); synonyms are "extradural" and "peridural."

Fibromyalgia
A debilitating chronic syndrome characterized by diffuse and or specific muscle, joint, or bone pain, fatigue, and a wide range of other symptoms

Guided Imagery
This relaxation and stress-reduction technique uses positive thoughts and images to relieve pain, slow the heart rate, and stimulate the body's healing responses.

Guidelines
Official statements that define the parameters of practice.

Holistic Medicine
An approach to medical care that emphasizes the study of all aspects of a person's health, including physical, psychological, social, economic, and cultural factors.

Homeopathy
A system of medical treatment based on the theory that certain diseases can be cured by giving very small doses of drugs which in a healthy person and in a large doses would produce symptoms like those of the disease.

Hospice
A Program that provides specialized care for people who are near the end of life and their families either at home, in free-standing facilities or within hospitals.

Hyperpathia
A painful syndrome characterized by increased subjective reaction to a painful stimulus, especially a repetitive stimulus.

Hypnotherapy
Refers to techniques that bypass the conscious mind and use altered mental states to facilitate behavioral, emotional, or attitudinal change, to treat stress, phobias, and therapeutic side effects, and to promote healing.

Intractable Pain
A pain state in which the cause of pain cannot be removed or otherwise treated and which in the generally accepted course of medical practice, no relief or cure of the cause of the pain is possible or none has been found after reasonable efforts that have been documented in the physician's medical records.

Lancinating
Characterized by piercing or stabbing sensations.

Meditation
Refers to techniques that focus the mind and promote a state of calmness so that the mind and body can be brought into greater harmony to facilitate health and healing.

Movement-related Pain
A type of breakthrough pain that is related to specific activity, such as eating, defecation, socializing, or walking. Also referred to as "incident pain."

Mucositis
Inflammation of a mucous membrane. Oral mucositis is a common complication of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS)
A condition characterized by chronic pain in the muscle tissues, similar to fibromyalgia. MPS is sometimes the aftermath of injury.

Narcotics
A drug, as opium or any of its derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine, etc.), used to relieve pain and induce sleep: narcotics are often addictive and in excessive doses can cause stupor, coma, or death.

Naturopathy
A drugless system of treating disease, largely employing natural physical agents or forces, such as air, water, sunshine, etc.

Opioid
Refers to natural and semi-synthetic derivatives of the opium poppy, as well as similar synthetic compounds that have analgesic or pain relieving properties because of their effects in the central nervous system.

Pain
An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.

Pain Center
A facility with a group of physicians and other health care professionals whose collective expertise allows for the management of a variety of pain problems.

Pain Clinic
A facility with one or more physicians and other health care professionals who specialize in the treatment of painful conditions, such as back pain or headaches.

Pain Threshold Level
The level of intensity at which pain becomes appreciable or perceptible.

Palliative Care
A comprehensive, specialized care provided by an interdisciplinary team to patients and families living with a life-threatening or severe advanced illness expected to progress toward dying and where care is particularly focused on alleviating suffering and promoting quality of life.

Paradoxical Reaction
A response (e.g., to a drug) that is the opposite of the usual response, such as agitation produced in an individual patient by a drug normally considered to be a sedative.

Physical Dependence
Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by drug class-specific signs and symptoms produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist. Physical dependence, by itself, does not equate with addiction.

Pseudoaddiction
The iatrogenic syndrome resulting from inadequate pain management. As a result, patients engage in relief seeking behaviors as though they are drug-seeking, as commonly seen with addiction. The relief seeking behaviors resolve upon institution of effective analgesic therapy.

Sound therapy
The therapeutic use of sound and music to reduce anxiety and emotional stress, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and promote healing.

Spondylitis
Inflammation of the spinal joints, characterized by chronic back pain and stiffness.

Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is the use of any substance(s) for non-therapeutic purposes or use of medication for purposes other than those for which it is prescribed.

Tolerance
Tolerance is a physiologic state resulting from regular use of a drug in which an increased dosage is needed to produce a specific effect, or a reduced effect is observed with a constant dose over time. Tolerance may or may not be evident during opioid treatment and does not equate with addiction.

Vulvar Pain
Also called essential vulvodynia (literally means "painful vulva"), pain in the vulva, the female external genitalia including the labia, clitoris, and entrance to the vagina. The pain usually is a chronic, diffuse, unremitting sensation of burning, which may extend to the perineum, thigh or buttock and is often associated with discomfort in the urethra and rectum.

Yoga
An ancient practice for bringing body and mind into harmony using meditation, physical postures, breathing, and exercise.