| Analgesic: |
A
medication or treatment that relieves pain. |
| Ankylosing
spondylitis: |
A rheumatic disease that causes arthritis of the spine and sacroiliac
joints and, at times, inflammation of the eyes and heart valves. |
| Antibodies: |
Special
proteins produced by the body’s immune system that help fight
and destroy viruses, bacteria, and other foreign substances
(antigens) that invade the body. Occasionally, abnormal antibodies
develop that can attack a part of the body and cause autoimmune
disease. These abnormal antibodies are called autoantibodies. |
| Antigen: |
A
foreign substance that stimulates an immune response. |
| Arthrography: |
An
x-ray procedure that provides a detailed image of the joint
when air or a contrast substance is injected into the joint
space. |
| Arthroscopy:
|
A
procedure performed with an arthroscope (a small, flexible tube
that transmits the image of the inside of a joint to a video
monitor). Arthroscopy is used for diagnosis as well as treatment
of some types of joint injury. The arthroscope is inserted through
a small incision in the skin near the affected joint. |
| Bursa
(plural, bursae): |
A
small sac of tissue located between bone and other moving structures
such as muscles, skin, or tendons. The bursa contains a lubricating
fluid that allows smooth gliding between these structures. |
| Bursitis: |
A
condition involving inflammation of the bursae. |
| Cartilage: |
A
resilient tissue that covers and cushions the ends of the bones
and absorbs shock. |
| Collagen: |
The
main structural protein of skin, bones, tendons, cartilage,
and connective tissue. |
| Connective
tissue: |
The
supporting framework of the body and its internal organs. |
| Computed
tomography (CT or CAT): |
A
diagnostic technique that uses a computer and an x-ray machine
to take a series of images that can be transformed into a clear
and detailed image of a joint. |
| Corticosteroids: |
Potent
anti-inflammatory hormones that are made naturally in the body
or synthetically for use as drugs. The most commonly prescribed
drug of this type is prednisone. |
| Fibromyalgia: |
A
chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal
pain, fatigue, and tenderness in localized areas of the neck,
spine, shoulders, and hips called “tender points.” |
| Fibrous
capsule: |
A
tough wrapping of tendons and ligaments that surrounds the joint. |
| Gout: |
A
type of arthritis resulting from deposits of needle-like crystals
of uric acid in the connective tissue, joint spaces, or both. |
| Hydrotherapy: |
Therapy
that takes place in water. |
| Infectious
arthritis: |
Forms
of arthritis caused by infectious agents, such as bacteria or
viruses. |
| Inflammation: |
A
typical reaction of tissue to injury or disease. It is marked
by four signs: swelling, redness, heat, and pain. |
| Joint: |
The
place where two or more bones are joined. Most joints are composed
of cartilage, joint space, fibrous capsule, synovium, and ligaments. |
| Joint
space: |
The
area enclosed within the fibrous capsule and synovium. |
| Juvenile
arthritis: |
A
term used to refer to the types of arthritis that affect children.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common type. |
| Ligaments: |
Stretchy
bands of cordlike tissues that connect bone to bone. |
| Lupus: |
A
type of immune disorder known as an autoimmune disease that
can lead to inflammation of and damage to joints, skin, kidneys,
heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. |
| Lyme
disease: |
A
disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi
in which arthritis is often a prominent symptom. Rash, heart
disease, and nervous system involvement may also occur. |
| Magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI): |
A
diagnostic technique that provides high-quality cross-sectional
images of a structure of the body without X rays or other radiation. |
| Manipulation: |
A
treatment by which health professionals use their hands to help
restore normal movement to stiff joints. |
| Microwave
therapy: |
A
type of deep heat therapy in which electromagnetic waves pass
between electrodes placed on the patient’s skin. This therapy
creates heat that increases blood flow and relieves muscle and
joint pain. |
| Mobilization
therapies: |
A
group of treatments that include traction, massage, and manipulation.
When performed by a trained professional, these methods can
help control a patient’s pain and increase joint and muscle
motion. |
| Nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s): |
A
group of medications, including aspirin, ibuprofen, and related
drugs, used to reduce inflammation that causes joint pain, stiffness,
and swelling. |
| Osteoarthritis: |
A
type of arthritis that causes the cartilage in the joints to
fray and wear. In extreme cases, the cartilage may wear away
completely. |
| Polymyalgia
rheumatica: |
A
rheumatic disease that involves tendons, muscles, ligaments,
and tissues around the joints. Pain, aching, and morning stiffness
in the neck, shoulders, lower back, and hips characterize the
disease. It is sometimes the first sign of giant cell arteritis
(a disease of the arteries characterized by inflammation, weakness,
weight loss, and fever). |
| Polymyositis: |
A
rheumatic disease that causes weakness and inflammation of muscles. |
| Psoriatic
arthritis: |
Joint
inflammation that occurs in about 5 to 10 percent of people
with psoriasis (a common skin disorder). |
| Reactive
arthritis: |
A
form of arthritis that develops after an infection involving
the lower urinary tract, bowel, or other organs. |
| Rheumatic: |
A
term referring to a disorder or condition that causes pain or
stiffness in the joints, muscles, or bone. |
| Rheumatoid
arthritis: |
An
inflammatory disease of the synovium, or lining of the joint,
that results in pain, stiffness, swelling, deformity, and loss
of function in the joints. |
| Rheumatologist: |
A
doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders
that affect the joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. |
| Risk
factor: |
Something
that increases a person’s chance of developing a disease, such
as age, gender, ethnicity, and genetics (family history). |
| Scleroderma: |
A
disease of the connective tissues and blood vessels that leads
to hardening of the skin. Scleroderma can also damage internal
organs such as the kidneys, lungs, heart, or gastrointestinal
tract. |
| Synovial
fluid: |
Fluid
released into movable joints by surrounding membranes. The fluid
lubricates the joint and reduces friction. |
| Synovium: |
A
thin membrane that lines a joint and releases a fluid that allows
the joint to move easily. |
| Tendinitis
(tendonitis): |
Inflammation
of tendons caused by overuse, injury, or related rheumatic conditions. |
| Tendon: |
Tough,
fibrous cords of tissue that connect muscle to bone. |
| Transcutaneous: |
Through
the skin. |
| Ultrasound: |
A
treatment that uses sound waves to provide deep heat and relieve
pain. |
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