Acupuncture: The practice of inserting needles into the body to reduce pain or induce anesthesia . More broadly,
Acupuncturist: A person skilled in the practice of acupuncture, who may or may not be credentialed by a national ac
Addiction: A chronic relapsing condition characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting
Analgesia: The inability to feel pain while still conscious. From the Greek an-, without + algesis, sense of pa
Analgesic: A drug that relieves pain. With an effective analgesic, there is an inability to feel pain while sti
Anatomy: The study of form. Gross anatomy involves structures that can be seen with the naked eye. It is as o
Asthma : A common disorder in which chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) makes them swell, n
Attention: The ability to focus selectively on a selected stimulus, sustaining that focus and shifting it at wi
Back Pain: Pain felt in the low or upper back. There are many causes of back pain.
Bacterial: Of or pertaining to bacteria. For example, a bacterial lung infection.
Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and
Blood Pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is produced primarily by the
Brain: That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium ( skull ). The brain func
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A type of compression neuropathy (nerve damage) caused by compression and irritation of the median n
Chemotherapy : 1. In the original sense, a chemical that binds to and specifically kills microbes or tumor cells. T
Circulation: The movement of fluid in a regular or circuitous course. Although the noun 'circulation' does not ne
Clinical: 1. Having to do with the examination and treatment of patients. 2. Applicable to patients. A laborat
Conventional Medicine: Medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and
Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease : the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by
Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings
Elbow: The juncture of the long bones in the middle portion of the arm. The bone of the upper arm (humerus)
Electro-Acupuncture: A system whereby a minimal electric current is sent to certain meridian points. This can be done wit
Elements: The Chinese belief that everything around us comes in five elements. These elements are fire, water,
Endogenous: Inside. For example, endogenous cholesterol is cholesterol that is made inside the body and is not i
Essential: 1. Something that cannot be done without.
Family: 1. A group of individuals related by blood or marriage or by a feeling of closeness. 2. A biological
Fibromyalgia: A syndrome characterized by chronic pain , stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints
Food And Drug Administration (FDA): The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Public Health Service, which is a part of the Department of Healt
Gland: 1. A group of cells that secrete a substance for use in the body. For example, the thyroid gland. 2.
Headache : A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the head (occipital), or i
Health: As officially defined by the World Health Organization, a state of complete physical, mental, and so
Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver from any cause.
Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. From the name of Hygeia, the daug
Hypothalamus: The area of the brain that controls body temperature, hunger, and thirst.
Immune: Protected against infection. The Latin immunis means free, exempt.
Infection: The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in
Injury: Harm or hurt. The term 'injury' may be applied in medicine to damage inflicted upon oneself as in a
Insertion: Chromosome abnormality due to insertion of a segment from one chromosome into another chromosome.
Intervention: The act of intervening, interfering or interceding with the intent of modifying the outcome. In medi
Liver: An organ in the upper abdomen that aids in digestion and removes waste products and worn-out cells f
Low Back Pain: Pain in the lower back area that can relate to problems with the lumbar spine, the discs between the
Menstrual: Pertaining to menstruation (the menses), as in last menstrual period, menstrual cramps, menstrual cy
Meridians: There are pathways in the body through which energy flows and Qi passes through. It is in these plac
Myriad: A great number, a very large number, a huge number of something.
Naloxone: A drug that antagonizes morphine and other opiates. Naloxone is a pure opiate antagonist and prevent
Nausea: Nausea is the urge to vomit. It can be brought by many causes including, systemic illnesses, such as
Neuroendocrine: Having to do with neuroendocrinology: the interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine
NIH: The National Institutes of Health. The NIH is an important U.S. health agency. It is devoted to medi
Opioid: 1. A synthetic narcotic that resembles the naturally occurring opiates. 2. Any substance that binds
Osteoarthritis: A type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of cartilage in the joints.
Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pain has both physi
Periphery: 1. The outside or surface of a structure: the portion outside the central region.
Physiology: The study of how living organisms function including such processes as nutrition, movement, and repr
Pituitary: 1. As an adjective, pertaining to the pituitary gland or its hormonal secretions. 2. As a noun, the
Pituitary Gland: The main endocrine gland. It is a small structure in the head. It is called the master gland because
Placebo: A 'sugar pill' or any dummy medication or treatment.
Pneumothorax: Free air in the chest outside the lung.
Qi: The belief in Qi deals with the flow of energy that, when balanced properly, keeps the body healthy.
Rehabilitation: The process of restoration of skills by a person who has had an illness or injury so as to regain ma
Sensory: Relating to sensation , to the perception of a stimulus and the voyage made by incoming ( afferent )
Side Effects: Problems that occur when treatment goes beyond the desired effect. Or problems that occur in additio
Skin: The skin is the body's outer covering. It protects us against heat and light, injury, and infection.
Specificity: 1. The quality of being specific as, for example, she showed the use of specificity in her diagnosis
Stroke : The sudden death of some brain cells due to a lack of oxygen when the blood flow to the brain is imp
Surgery: The word 'surgery' has multiple meanings. It is the branch of medicine concerned with diseases and c
Syndrome: A set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and which reflect the presence of a particul
Systemic: Affecting the entire body. A systemic disease such as diabetes can affect the whole body. Systemic c
Tennis Elbow: A painful injury to the tendon that is attached to the outer part of the elbow due to repetitive twi
Therapeutic: Relating to therapeutics , that part of medicine concerned specifically with the treatment of diseas
Viral: Of or pertaining to a virus. For example, 'My daughter has a viral rash .'
Viral Hepatitis: Viral hepatitis is liver inflammation caused by viruses. Specific hepatitis viruses have been labele
Yin-Yang: Yin and Yang are conflicting powers within the body. Yang stands for dryness, the male essence and w
