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Health and Wellness Glossary

Addiction

A chronic relapsing condition characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain. Addiction is the same irrespective of whether the drug is alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, or nicotine. Every addictive substance induces pleasant states or relieves distress. Continued use of the addictive substance induces adaptive changes in the brain that lead to tolerance, physical dependence, uncontrollable craving and, all too often, relapse. Dependence is at such a point that stopping is very difficult and causes severe physical and mental reactions from withdrawal. The risk of addiction is in part inherited. Genetic factors, for example, account for about 40% of the risk of alcoholism. The genetic factors predisposing to addiction are not yet fully understood.

Adjustment

A specific directional thrust maneuver or application of forces applied to a fixated/stuck vertebra that sets the vertebra into motion with the intent to reduce and/or correct the vertebral misalignment. This in turn affects the corresponding neurological component or nerve root associated with the level that was adjusted.

Analgesia

The inability to feel pain while still conscious. From the Greek an-, without + algesis, sense of pain.

Analgesic

A drug that relieves pain. With an effective analgesic, there is an inability to feel pain while still conscious. From the Greek an-, without + algesis, sense of pain.

Anomaly

A marked deviation from the normal standard, especially as a result of congenital or hereditary defect(s).

Atlas / C1

The first cervical vertebra, which articulates above with the occipital bone and below with the axis.

Axis / C2

The second cervical vertebra.

Coccyx

The lowest segment of the vertebral column, comprised of three to five rudimentary vertebrae.

Cervical Spine

The upper spinal area, consisting of seven vertebrae, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, and C7.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a health care discipline which focuses on improving ones health through the use of adjustments, therapies and lifestyle changes.

The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (spine and joints) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of motion and health.

Chiropractic Adjustment

This term refers to a wide variety of specific manual interventions that may be high or low velocity; short or long lever; high or low amplitude.

Chiropractic adjustments are directed at specific anatomical regions of the vertebral spine. The purpose of the Chiropractic adjustment is to put motion into the areas of the spine that are fixated/stuck. This in turn improves circulation, decreases muscle tension, increases range of motion and affects the nervous system around the area adjusted.

Chiropractic Analysis

A chiropractic analysis is performed on a routine basis to determine the patient's need for spinal adjustments. A chiropractic analysis may include (but certainly is not limited to) two or more of the following procedures: chiropractic x-ray analysis, static and motion palpation (meaning feeling the spine with the hands), postural analysis, leg-length comparison tests, muscle strength measures, and other chiropractic analysis procedures, such as orthopedic and neurological tests.

Chiropractic Assessment and Diagnosis

The process of integrating the clinical analysis to determine the best way to address the areas in the spine or the joints being affected so that the Doctor can make the appropriate diagnosis and recommend the appropriate treatment plan, if the case is accepted as a Chiropractic case.

Chiropractor, Doctor of Chiropractic, D.C., or DC

A practitioner of chiropractic.

Cupping

An ancient Chinese method of causing local congestion. A partial vacuum is created in cups placed on the skin either by means of heat or suction. This draws up the underlying tissues. When the cup is left in place on the skin for a few minutes, blood stasis is formed and localized healing takes place.

Drugless Profession

Chiropractic is a drugless health care profession. Doctors of Chiropractic do not prescribe or issue drugs to their patients.

Force

A vector quantity tending to produce an acceleration of an object in the direction of its application. Capacity to do work or cause physical change. A push or pull. A vector quantity possessing size and direction.

Gravity

The natural constant force that causes objects to move or tend to move toward the center of the earth. The cause of weight.

Health

This is a state of optimal physical, mental and social well-being, not just the absence of disease or infirmity.

Hyper-Mobile

This means a joint or segment of the spine is moving too easily or too much. This is frequently caused by "self-adjusting".

Hypo-Mobile

This is the opposite of hyper-mobile. The joint or spinal segment is "stuck" or not moving through its normal range of motion.

Innate Intelligence

An inborn intelligence that keeps the body of all living things in repair. The mission of Innate Intelligence is to maintain the material of the body of the living thing in active organization.

Joint Fixation

Diminished movement within a joint space, leading to a decrease in range of motion.

Ligament

A band of fibrous tissue that connects bones or cartilages, serving to support and strengthen joints.

Lumbar Spine

The lower spine area consisting of five vertebrae, L1, L2, L3, L4, L5. (and sometimes the genetic anomaly L6.)

Manipulation

A non-specific manual procedure that involves a directed thrust to move a joint or joints into its para-physiological space or past its physiological range of motion.

Meridians

the pathways of the positive and negative energy power, which carries on some of the communication between the various parts of human beings.

Mobilization

Movement applied singularly or repetitively within or at the physiological range of joint motion, without imparting a thrust or impulse, with the goal of restoring joint mobility.

Motion Segment

The smallest functional unit, made up of two adjacent articulating surfaces and contiguous and intervening soft tissues.

Moxibustion

is a form of fire heat treatment that stimulates specific acupuncture points of the body. The term is derived from the Japanese "mogusa" meaning herb (mugwort) and the Latin "bustion" meaning burning.

Physician

An authorized practitioner of medicine, as one graduated from a college of medicine or osteopathy and is licensed by the appropriate state board.

Sacrum

The triangular shaped bone located just below the Lowest Lumbar vertebrae (L5), formed usually by five fused vertebrae (sacral vertebrae) that are wedged dorsally between the left and right hips.

Symptom(s)

Subjective evidence of a patient's condition, such evidence as perceived by the patient.

Tendon

A fibrous cord by which a muscle is attached.

Thoracic Spine

The mid spine, consisting of twelve vertebrae, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T10, T11, and T12.

Vertebra/Spine

Any of the twenty six bones of the spinal column comprising the seven cervical, twelve thoracic, five lumbar vertebrae, one sacrum and one coccyx.

Wellness

The relationship between health, regular physical activity, and physical fitness as it applies to Chiropractic philosophy.

Yin and Yang

the easily recognized Taoist symbol of the interplay of forces in the universe. In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang represent the two primal cosmic forces in the universe. Yin (moon) is the receptive, passive, cold female force. Yang (sun) is masculine- force, movement, heat

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