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Technique of tensing the stomach muscles to support the spine. Patients are instructed to practice this during all movements in bed, when walking and even when wearing a brace or corset. Eventually, this becomes automatic and patients develop a natural support for the spine. Acupuncture A method of producing pain relief or altering the function of systems in the body by inserting fine, wire-thin needles into the skin at specific sites on the body along a series of lines, or channels, called meridians; a modality that is sometimes used in back pain relief. Acute Beginning abruptly with marked intensity or sharpness, then subsiding after a relatively short period of time; sharp or severe. Aerobic Exercise Any physical exercise demanding additional effort from the heart and lungs to deliver a continuous amount of oxygen to the skeletal muscles. This exercise generally requires heavier breathing than passive muscular activity and results in increased heart and lung efficiency with a minimum of wasted energy. Examples of aerobic exercises include running, jogging, swimming and vigorous dancing or cycling. Anesthesiologist A physician trained in the administration of medication to relieve pain during surgery, as well as one who specializes in spinal injections. He/she will perform the majority of spinal injections in addition to discograms. Annular Tear A cracking of the rings inside the disc which may extend to the surface or outer layers of the annulus fibrosis. As the tear approaches the surface of the annulus, vascularization, inflammation and autoimmune responses can occur and nerve endings can be stimulated which may cause pain. Annulus Fibrosis The tough, outer portion of the disc composed of multiple cartilaginous rings. These rings firmly attach to the vertebrae above and below the disc and help to hold these segments together. Approximately 70 percent of the total disc is composed of the annulus fibrosis. Although this structure is cut through during surgery involving a discectomy, it is not removed during the procedure. Anterior The front of a structure. Anterior Interbody Fusion A surgical procedure involving exposure to and fusion of the spine from the front of the patient's body. The most proper use of this type of interbody fusion is when it can be proven that pain is coming directly from inside the disc space. Anticoagulants Medications which prevent or delay the clotting of blood. Anti-inflammatory A substance or procedure that reduces irritation or injury to tissues of the body. Anti-inflammatory medications include Naprosyn, Clinoril, Motrin and Feldene. Apnea Monitor A machine which monitors respiration and heart rate. Arachnoiditis Inflammation resulting in adherence of nerve rootlets within the spinal cord covering. This is most often associated with failed-back syndrome. Arthroscopic Discectomy A surgical procedure, usually performed as an outpatient, to excise a portion of the nucleus of a herniated disc which has been determined to be the sources of the patient's leg pain. This procedure is performed under fluoroscopy. Autoimmune An abnormal characteristic or condition in which the body reacts against constituents of its own tissues. Autologous Blood Blood donated by the patient prior to surgery to be used for that patient's surgery.
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