Analgesics: Medication capable of relieving pain without anaesthesia

Anti-inflammatory: Are medications that reduce or suppress inflammation.

Ankylosis: Ankylosis is stiffening of a joint, the result of injury or disease. The rigidity may be complete or partial and may be due to inflammation of the tendinous or muscular structures outside the joint or of the tissues of the joint itself.

Atrophy: To waste away, degeneration of a body part..

Auto-immune: Autoimmunity is the failure of an organism to recognize its own constituent parts (down to the sub-molecular levels) as ‘self’, which results in an immune response against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that results from such an aberrant immune response is termed an autoimmune disease.

Biologics: Biologics include a wide range of medicinal products such as vaccines, blood and blood components, allergenics, somatic cells, gene therapy, tissues, and recombinant therapeutic proteins. Biologics can be composed of sugars, proteins, or nucleic acids or complex combinations of these substances, or may be living entities such as cells and tissues. Biologics are isolated from a variety of natural sources - human, animal, or micro-organism - and may be produced by biotechnology methods and other cutting-edge technologies. Gene-based and cellular biologics, for example, often are at the forefront of biomedical research, and may be used to treat a variety of medical conditions for which no other treatments are available.

Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope e.g. to check for cancer cells. A specialist trained to examine such tissues is called a pathologist.

Blood vessel: The blood vessels are part of the cardiovascular system and function to transport blood throughout the body. The most important types, arteries and veins, carry blood away from or towards the heart, respectively.

Bone Scan: A technique to create images on bones on a computer screen or on film. A small amount of radioactive material is injected and travels through the bloodstream. It collects in the bones, especially in abnormal areas of the bones and is detected by a scanner.

Calcification: A process that impregnates something with calcium (or calcium salts).

Catecholamine: Classification of chemicals produced in the medulla of the adrenal gland (including but not limited to epinephrine and norepinephrine).

Cervical: Pertaining to the neck or cervix (Anatomy).

Chronic: A disease or condition that persists or progresses over a long period of time

Central Nervous System OR CNS: System of the body that includes the brain, spinal chord, nerves and ganglions.

Collagen: Any of a group of insoluble fibrous proteins that constitute the main structural component of animal connective tissue.

Complete blood count: A complete blood count (CBC), also known as full blood count (FBC) or full blood exam (FBE) or blood panel, is a test requested by a doctor or other medical professional that gives information about the cells in a patient’s blood. A lab technician (US: “medical technologist”) performs the requested testing and provides the requesting Medical Professional with the results of the CBC. A CBC is also known as a “hemogram”.

Corticosteroid: Steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex or synthesized; administered as drugs they reduce swelling and decrease the body’s immune response “adrenal cortical steroids are used to treat many different conditions”.

CT Scan: Computed tomography scan. A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles. The pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. Also called computerized tomography and computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan.

Degenerative Arthritis: A type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of the cartilage of the joints. Also called osteoarthritis

Degenerative: Tending to cause progressive deterioration of mental and physical functioning (i.e.degenerative disease)

DMARDS: Is a category of drugs used in many autoimmune disorders to slow down disease progression. Their use was first propogated in rheumatoid arthritis.

Enzyme: A protein which catalyzes chemical processes

Fasciitis: In medicine, fasciitis refers to an inflammation of the fascia. In particular, it often refers to one of the following diseases: Necrotizing fasciitis, Plantar fasciitis, Eosinophilic fasciitis

Feltys syndrome: A condition characterized by the triad of rheumatoid arthritis, splenomegaly and granulocytopenia

Glucocerebroside: Glucocerebroside (also called glucosylceramide) is any of the cerebrosides in which the monosaccharide head group is glucose.

Glycosphingalipid: Glycosphingolipids are a subtype of glycolipids containing the amino alcohol sphingosine. They include: cerebrosides, gangliosides, globosides, sphingomyelin.

Hernia: A medical condition in which an organ protrudes through an opening in its surrounding walls (especially in the abdominal region).

Hypermobility (also called double-jointedness): Hypermobility syndrome or hyperlaxity describes joints that stretch farther than is normal. For example, some hypermobile people can bend their thumbs backwards to their wrists, or bend their knee joints backwards. It can affect a single joint or multiple joints throughout the body.

Idiopathic: A disease or condition which arises spontaneously for which the cause is unknown.

Immunosuppressant: Drugs that suppress the immune system.

Involuntarily: In an unwilling manner, reluctantly; unconsciously, unintentionally; instinctively.

lritis: Iritis is a form of anterior uveitis and refers to the inflammation of the iris of the eye.

Joint Cavity: The sac enclosing a joint. It is composed of an outer fibrous articular capsule and inner synovial membrane.

Ligament: A flexible tissue which connects bones and cartilage and supports organs (Anatomy).

Limb: Projecting jointed appendage of the body (arm, leg, wing, etc.); part which projects outward.

Lipid: Any of a number of fats or fatlike compounds that are insoluble in water (Biochemistry).

Lumbar: Of the loin or loins, pertaining to the part of the body below the ribs and above the hipbones (in humans or quadruped animals). An artery or vein or vertebra situated in the lumbar region.

Lysosomal Storage Disease: The lysosomal storage diseases are a group of which over forty disorders are currently known that result from defects in lysosomal function. Lysosomes are cytoplasmic organelles that contain enzymes (specifically, acid hydrolases) that break macromolecules down to peptides, amino acids, monosaccharides, nucleic acids and fatty acids.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): A diagnostic technique which uses a magnetic field and radio waves to provide computerized images of internal body tissues (Medicine).

Muscle spasm: A condition of pain when the body is in motion that is created as a result of the stretching of muscles.

Musculoskeletal: Relating to muscles and skeleton (pertainym) muscle, musculus.

Muscle tone: Muscle tone (aka residual muscle tension or tonus) is the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles. It helps maintain posture and declines during REM sleep. Note that muscular tone is not defined as muscular shaping or the aspect of general human physical appearance

Necrosis: Death of cells or tissues. Necrosis can be due for example to ischemia (lack of blood flow).

Norepinephrine: A catecholamine precursor of epinephrine that is secreted by the adrenal medulla and also released at synapses

NSAIDS: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug)  (Medicine) family of medications that reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting prostaglandin production (includes aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and many others).

Ossification: The process of bone formation, in which connective tissues, such as cartilage are turned to bone or bone-like tissue.

Peripheral nervous system: The Peripheral nervous system resides or extends outside the “CNS” central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to serve the limbs and organs. Unlike the central nervous system, however, the PNS is not protected by bone, leaving it exposed to toxins and mechanical injuries. The peripheral nervous system is divided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

Postmenopausal: The physiological period following the menopause, the permanent cessation of the menstrual life.

Receptor: One who takes in; (Anatomy) sensor which receives stimuli (in the nervous system).

Reticuloendothelial Cells: A system of interstitial cells that includes all the phagocytic cells, which trap and consume foreign agents, except the leukocytes circulating in the bloodstream.
This system forms a network throughout the body and is another of the body’s defense systems against invading organisms in the connective tissues of the body.
See Phagocyte.

Retinitis: Inflammation of the retina of the eye (Medicine).

Soft Tissue: Refers to muscle, fat, fibrous tissue,blood vessels, or other supporting tissue of the body.

Spleen: An organ which is located near the stomach and which filters and stores blood and produces white blood cells and destroys old red blood cells.

Splints: Rigid or flexible appliances used to maintain a displaced or movable part of your body to keep it in place and protect an injured part.

Synovial Fluid: The clear, viscous fluid secreated by the synovial membrane. It contains mucin, albumin, fat and mineral salts and serves to lubricate the joints.

Systemic: A disease that affects the whole body.

Tendons: Cord of fibrous tissue which connects a muscle to a bone or other parts.

Thoracic: Related to the chest cavity.

Toxic: Poisonous, noxious or deadly substances.

Uric acid: A breakdown product of purines that are part of many foods. In gout, there are frequently, but not always, elevated levels of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia). However, only a small portion of those with hyperuricemia will develop gout.

Uveitis: Uveitis specifically refers to inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, termed the “uvea” but in common usage may refer to any inflammatory process involving the interior of the eye. Uveitis is estimated to be responsible for approximately 10% of blindness in the United States. Uveitis requires an urgent referral and thorough examination by an ophthalmologist, along with urgent treatment to control the inflammation.

Vascular: Having vessels or ducts; of or pertaining to vessels which carry fluids (i.e. blood, sap. etc.)