Low Back Pain
Definitions
Acute pain:
severe pain that has
a sudden onset, but
lasts a short time
Addiction: a
psychological or
physical dependence
on a medicine
Analgesic:
medicine used to
relieve pain
Adjuvant medicine:
medicine that has
another primary
purpose but may in
some cases relieve
pain
Breakthrough pain:
pain that occurs
although the patient
is being medicated
Chronic pain:
pain that is constant
and lasts a long time
Deep brain
stimulation: a
pain control method
using electrodes
implanted in the
brain and controlled
by the patient
Epidural
medication:
medicine that is
injected into the
spinal column
Immediate-release
medication:
medication that takes
effect in a short
period of time
Infusion: a
method of
administering
medication into a
vein
Intramuscular (IM)
injection:
injection of
medication into a
muscle
Intrathecal (IT)
injection:
injection of
medication into the
sheath around the
spinal cord
Intravenous (IV)
injection:
injection of
medication into a
vein
Long-acting or
sustained released
medicines:
medicines that act
for long periods of
time and are taken on
a regular basis
Narcotic:
medicine that
produces pain relief
by depressing the
central nervous
system (see opioid)
Neuropathic pain:
pain, usually
arising from nerve
damage, that is
burning, shooting or
numbing
Patient-controlled
analgesis (PCA):
a method of pain
control in which the
patient controls the
amount and timing of
the release of the
medication by
pressing a button on
a computerized pump
that releases a
preset amount of the
medication into the
patient’s body
Phantom pain:
pain felt in a part
of the body that is
no longer there
Nerve block:
injection of medicine
directly into the
nerve or spine for
pain control
Non-opioids:
medicine that does
not contain an opioid.
Examples include
acetaminophen and
non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs) such
as aspirin and
ibuprofen. Many of
these medicines are
available
over-the-counter and
do not require a
prescription.
Opioids:
medicine that
requires a
prescription and
provides strong pain
relief. Examples
include morphine,
hydromorphone,
oxycodone and
codeine.
Radiofrequency
lesioning: a
catheter is inserted
through an incision
and uses radiowaves
to destroy affected
nerves
Rescue medicines:
medicine used to
control breakthrough
pain
Somatic pain:
pain, usually arising
from the body wall or
voluntary muscles in
the legs or arms,
that feels achy,
throbbing and well
localized in one spot
Subcutaneous
injection (SQ):
injection of medicine
just under the skin
Titrate: to
adjust the dose of
medicine needed to
control pain
Tolerance:
adjustment of the
body to medication so
that more medication
or another type of
medication is needed
to control pain
Vertebroplasty:
cement is
injected into the
vertebrae to ease
pain
Visceral pain:
pain, usually arising
from the internal
organs, that feels
like squeezing,
cramping or pressure
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