Chronic Glossary
Description
This article is from the Health Articles series.
Chronic Glossary
Acupuncture:
Chinese practice of inserting needles into the skin at specific points of the body to relieve pain.
Addiction:
psychological or emotional dependence on the effects of a drug.
Analgesics:
medicines that are used to relieve pain.
Anesthesiologist:
a doctor who specializes in giving drugs or other agents that prevent or relieve pain.
Antidepressant:
a medicine used to treat depression.
Chemotherapy:
treatment with anticancer drugs.
Cordotomy:
surgery to cut some of the fibers of the spinal cord; used to relieve pain.
Distraction:
a pain relief method that takes the attention away from the pain.
Dose:
the amount of medicine taken.
Duration of action:
the length of time that the effect of a medicine lasts.
Epidural:
into the spinal column but outside of the spinal cord.
Frequency:
how often medicine is taken.
Hypnosis:
a trance-like state in which response to suggestions or commands is increased.
Imagery:
a method of pain relief that uses mental images produced by memory or imagination.
Infusion:
a method of giving pain medication into a vein or under the skin; unlike an injection, which is pushed in by a syringe, an infusion flows in by gravity. Some continuous infusions are given using a mechanical pump.
Intramuscular (IM):
into a muscle.
Intrathecal (IC):
into the spinal cord.
Intravenous (IV):
into a vein.
Local anesthetic:
a drug that blocks nerve conduction in the region where it is applied.
Metastasis:
the spread of cancer from one part of the body to another.
Narcotic:
pain relieving drug related in action and structure to the opiates.
Nerve block:
pain relief method in which an anesthetic is injected into a nerve.
Neurosurgeon:
a doctor who specializes in operations on the brain, nerves, and spinal cord.
Nonprescription (over the counter) pain relievers:
analgesics that can be bought without a doctor's order.
Oncologist:
a doctor who specializes in the treatment of cancer.
Onset of action:
the length of time it takes for a medicine to start to work.
Opiate:
pain-killing drug chemically related to opium; also called a narcotic.
Pain threshold:
the level of pain at which a person becomes aware of it.
Pediatric oncologist:
a doctor who specializes in treating children with cancer.
Physical therapy:
the health profession that treats pain in muscles, nerves, joints, and bones with exercise, electrical stimulation, hydrotherapy, and the use of massage, heat, cold, and electrical devices.
Prescription pain relievers:
analgesics that can be bought only with a doctor's order.
Radiation therapy:
treatment with high energy from x-rays or other sources to kill cancer cells.
Relaxation techniques:
methods used to lessen tension, reduce anxiety, and manage pain.
Rhizotomy:
incision of nerve roots within the spinal canal.
Side effect:
an unintended symptom that results from using a drug.
Skin stimulation:
the use of pressure, friction, temperature change, or chemical substances to excite the nerve endings in the skin.
Stage:
the extent of disease.
Subcutaneous:
under the skin.
Tolerance:
decreasing effect of a drug with the same dose or the need to increase the dose to maintain the same effect.
Tranquilizer:
a drug used to treat anxiety.
Continue to:
My Books
