Activator:
A spring-loaded adjusting instrument that utilizes an extremely rapid pulse to help restore normal functioning in the body. The amount of force applied by the pulse is similar to that of a manual (by the hand) adjustment. The speed of the instrument makes up for the reduction in mass of the instrument when compared to the hand.
Acupressure:
The practice of applying pressure on acupuncture points to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and treat various symptoms. The points used are identical to acupuncture points, but needles are not utilized with acupressure.
Acupuncture:
The practice of inserting fine needles on specific meridian points for the purpose of helping the body balance the energy to allow for healing. Acupuncture is quite useful in the treatment and relief of back pain, headaches, addiction, etc. Further information can be found on Dr. Howard's acupuncture page.
Adjustment:
A chiropractic technique involving the application of gentle thrust to a bone, most often in the spine but can also be to joints in the arms, legs, wrists, hands, and feet. Adjustments employ a high velocity, low amplitude thrust. The goal of any adjustment is to restore the bone to its natural, or original, position.
Autonomic nervous system:
The part of the nervous system that is responsible for controlling the involuntary functions in the body, such as digestion, metabolism, blood pressure, etc.
Body mass index (BMI):
A measure of body weight relative to height. BMI can be used to determine if people are at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. A body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 up to 25 refers to a healthy weight, a BMI of 25 up to 30 refers to overweight and a BMI of 30 or higher refers to obese.
Bulging Disc:
The annulus portion of the lumbar disc weakens causing the nucleus to press against it resulting in the annulus pinching or pressing against a nerve causing pain.
Bursitis:
A condition in which the bursa, or fluid filled sacks that cushion joints, become swollen and inflamed. This condition can be quite painful.
Cervical Spine:
The upper portion of your spine; also called the neck.
Chinese Medicine:
The general term to describe the numerous techniques utilized in China for many thousands of years to heal bodily ailments. These may include massage, herbs, acupuncture and Qi Gong.
Chiropractic:
Comes from the Greek words, "chiro," meaning hand, and "practic," meaning practice, or treatment. Chiropractic is a form of health care that focuses primarily on restoring normal position, motion and function in the body's structures; especially the spine. Chiropractic emphasizes the role of the body to heal itself naturally - without the use of drugs and/or surgery.
Chiropractor:
Also known as a doctor of chiropractic (D.C.). A chiropractor diagnoses and treats a broad range of physical conditions in patients, provides a chiropractic adjustment to remove interference in the nervous system, and allows the body to heal itself.
Chronic Pain:
Pain that has lasted for more than three months generally having significant psychological and emotional affects and limiting a person's ability to fully function.
Coccyx:
The small bone at the lower tip of the spine. It is a triangular-shaped bone at the bottom of the sacrum.
Degenerative Arthritis:
The wearing away of cartilage that protects and cushions joints including those in the spine, hands and feet.
Degenerative Disc Disease:
A general term applied to degeneration of the lumbar spinal discs which serve as cushions between the spinal vertebrae, resulting in a narrowing of the disc space.
Discectomy:
Surgical removal of part or the entire herniated intervertebral disc.
Exercise:
Exercise is physical activity that is planned or structured. It involves repetitive bodily movement done to improve or maintain one or more components of physical fitness: cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, endurance, flexibility and body composition.
Exercise Therapy:
A form of chiropractic treatment used to help manage pain, rehabilitate damaged soft tissues, such as muscles, ligament, and tendons, and restore normal range of motion and function.
Facet joints:
The joints above and below each intervertebral disc, allowing the spine to bend. The paired joints located in the posterior portion of the vertebral bodies connecting the spine. These joints are part of the stabilizing mechanism for the spine.
Facet Joint Syndrome:
Pain resulting from degeneration, wear, and pressure exerted on the facet joints.
Fibromyalgia:
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain in muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons. It is a broad condition that tends to engulf a large array of symptoms. Fibromyalgia patients suffer from pain, fatigue, and often times depression. Patients suffering from fibromyalgia often respond well to chiropractic care, exercise therapy, and acupuncture treatments.
Foraminal Stenosis:
Narrowing of a vertebral opening.
Fusion:
In regard to the spine, a surgical procedure to unite two or more vertebrae with bone graft with or without metal supports resulting in immobilization of that portion.
Herniated Disc:
A disc that protrudes from its normal position between two vertebrae, due to an injury to the annulus; frequently associated with the nucleus of the disc oozing out of the center of the disc.
Inflammation:
A pathologic process associated with redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function. This process destroys tissues but is also associated with the repair and healing of body structures.
Laminectomy:
A surgical procedure that removes a portion of the plate that serves as the back of the spinal canal. This decompression procedure is often performed for treatment of herniated intervertebral discs and spinal stenosis.
Low back pain:
Pain at the base of the spine that can be caused by several factors including injury, overuse, weakness of the core muscles, and subluxation.
Lumbalgia:
A general term meaning low back pain. (-algia is the suffix that means "pain")
Lumbar:
The lower five weight bearing vertebrae of the spine that are located between the thoracic vertebrae and the sacrum.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):
Magnetic radio frequency energy used to see internal structures of the body, including bone, discs, and nerves without the use of x-rays. Overall, the most useful technique in the investigation of spinal abnormalities.
Massage Therapy:
A general term to describe various bodywork techniques. Massage therapy is a necessary part of health and wellness. Massage therapy aids the body in healing by mobilizing muscle tissue, assisting with lymph drainage, and providing an emotional sense of well-being through therapeutic touch.
Meditation:
A general term for numerous practices where one focuses awareness on one thing such as breath or a short phrase in order to quiet the mind. Meditation helps the mind to relax to allow the body more opportunity cope with stressors and allow healing to occur.
Muscle Tension:
A state where the muscles are in a general state of contraction.
Muscle Spasm:
A sudden violent involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles. A muscle spasm is attended by pain and interference with function, producing involuntary movement and distortion.
Nerve:
The body's communication system; nerves carry messages back and forth between the brain and all body parts. The nervous system is the system of the body that controls every other system, organ, and cell in the body.
Osteoarthritis:
Also called "degenerative arthritis" mostly affecting middle-aged and elderly men and women. In some, osteoarthritis may affect the spine's facet joints, making it extremely painful to bend or twist. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage to break down and away from the joints. Stripped of their protective material, the joints begin rubbing against each other, causing pain and impeding movement. This action further irritates the surrounding nerves. Advanced forms of spinal osteoarthritis lead to disc collapse and other problems.
Osteoporosis:
A disease characterized by the loss of bone density, resulting in brittleness; most commonly affecting the spinal vertebrae, wrists and hips.
Osteophytes:
Additional bone material, or overgrowths, that have been attributed to a wide variety of ailments. Also called bone spurs, osteophytes are manufactured by your body in response to a breakdown in existing bony structures. Sometimes, bone spurs can exert pressure on nerves, and this leads to pain.
Plantar fasciitis:
Inflammation of the ligament running from the front of the heel bone through the bottom of the foot. Repetitive motions such as quick stops and starts during sports, or long distance running, have sometimes been associated with Plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis can be quite painful, and can take many months to heal if not treated correctly. Plantar fasciitis is best treated with chiropractic adjustments, ice, and acupuncture therapy.
Relaxation Techniques:
A natural process that can be learned by anyone to reverse the effects of stress on the body's physiology. Methods of relaxation are used to lessen tension, reduce anxiety, and manage pain.
Ruptured Disc:
Herniated disc where material from the disc pushes through the outer lining of the disc.
Sciatic Nerve:
The nerve that serves the legs and originates from several levels of the lower back. Formed by multiple nerve roots from the lumbar spine; the sciatic nerve sends signals down the leg to control muscles and up the leg to provide sensations.
Sciatica:
An inflammation of the sciatic nerve usually marked by tenderness along the course of the nerve through the buttocks, thigh, and leg.
Scoliosis:
An abnormal curve of the spine.
Slipped Disc:
Herniated disc where material from the disc pushes through the outer lining of the disc (see Disc Herniation).
Spina Bifida:
A congenital defect of the spine in which the arches of the lower lumbar spine fail to form over the spinal cord, leaving the cord unprotected.
Spinal Canal:
The opening at the center of the spine through which the spinal cord runs.
Spinal Cord:
The root section of the central nervous system going down from the brain through the spinal column. The spinal cord encompasses the majority of the nervous system and is the main pathway of communication between the body and the brain.
Spinal Fracture:
Broken vertebrae in the spine.
Spinal Fusion:
A process in which the disc and cartilage is removed from between the vertebrae, and bone grafts (often harvested from the pelvis) are placed between or alongside the vertebrae to join the bones together.
Spinal Stenosis:
A narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses the spinal cord and/or the nerve roots. This can result in a cutting off of the impulses to the structures normally supplied by these nerves.
Spondyloarthopathy:
A group of disorders that causes inflammatory arthritis of the spine.
Spondylitis:
Inflammation of the spine generally caused by an infection.
Spondylolisthesis:
A spinal abnormality in which there is an anterior displacement of a vertebra on the one below, this can result in back pain. There are several different grades of severity of spondylolisthesis. It is also not uncommon for one to have a spondylolisthesis and be unaware of the condition as it is asymptomatic and stable.
Subluxation:
A misalignment in the bony structures of the spine. Subluxations can create pressure or irritation on the various nerves in your spine, and can cause a wide variety of symptoms throughout your body, such as localized pain, soreness, irregularity, and weakness. When pressure is applied on a nerve in your spine, the nerve energy is interrupted, and sometimes this can profoundly affect the function of other systems or organs in your body.
Tendon:
White fibrous bands of tissue that attach muscle to bone.
Tennis Elbow:
Also known as lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow is pain on the lateral, or outside part of the elbow, on or near the bony protrusion. It is usually caused by the overuse of the wrist extensor muscles, which leads to the inflammation of the tendon attachment. Another cause of tennis elbow is subluxation of the ulna (forearm bone). This subluxation causes inflammation and symptoms similar to tennis elbow. This is easily treated with chiropractic care and/or acupuncture therapy.
Therapeutic Massage:
A form of massage that involves the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body to decrease muscle spasm and pain and to improve movement. Therapeutic massage can also aid in lymph drainage, thus aiding the body in healing.
Thoracic Spine:
Twelve vertebrae above the lumbar spine and below the cervical spine.
Trigger Point Therapy:
The application of pressure on tender trigger points in the muscles to relieve pain and tension.
Trigger Points:
A generally small area of a muscle that is tightly knotted and in spasm causing referred pain.
Vertebrae:
The 24 cylindrical segments of bone that make up the vertebral column.
Vertebral Column:
The Spine. The flexible structure that forms the "backbone" of the skeleton arranged a line from the base of the skull to the tailbone; also called spine. a a
Vertebral Subluxation Complex:
Another term for subluxation that is used in the chiropractic profession.
Whiplash:
An injury to the cervical spine that occurs from rapid hyper-flexion, hyper-extension and compression movements, such as in an automobile accident.
X-Ray:
A diagnostic imaging method that exposes photographic films with radiation passed through the body. It is most useful in diagnosing fractures, dislocations, abnormal positioning or other structural problems in bone
Yoga:
A gentle exercise system consisting of numerous stretching movements that is extremely helpful in healing.