Acute: Description for a condition that usually lasts for a short period of time, usually shorter than six months.

Addiction: A compulsive use of a substance even though the substance causes harm. Addiction is not defined by physical dependence or tolerance. Traits of addiction are loss of control, cravings, and adverse consequences resulting from use of a substance.

Analgesic: A medication or treatment that relieves pain.

Breakthrough pain: Intermittent exacerbation of pain that can occur spontaneously or in relation to specific activity.

Breathwork: In a variety of techniques, patterned breathing is used to promote physical, mental, and/or spiritual wellbeing.

Central nervous system: The brain and spinal cord.

Chronic: Description for a condition that lasts for a long time, usually longer than six months.

Cryotherapy: The therapeutic use of cold to reduce discomfort, limit progression of tissue edema, or break a cycle of muscle spasm.

Crystals : Crystal-based technologies such as electronic circuitry, computers, and laser beams, now used in medical diagnostic equipment and surgical techniques, have revolutionized conventional medicine. CAT scans, magnetic resonance imaging, mammograms, laser surgery and microsurgery are commonplace today. Newer applications are in development, including Kirlian photography to capture subtle energy emanating from the physical body (the aura), and sonic imagers to graphically display the vibrational tones emitted by the body in illness and health.

Deafferentation pain: Pain due to loss of sensory input into the central nervous system, as occurs with avulsion of the brachial plexus or other types of lesions of peripheral nerves or because of pathology of the central nervous system.

Distraction : The cognitive strategy of focusing attention on stimuli other than pain or negative emotions that accompany pain.

Dysesthesia : An unpleasant abnormal sensation, whether spontaneous or evoked.

Epidural : Situated within the spinal canal, on or outside the dura mater (tough membrane surrounding the spinal cord); synonyms are "extradural" and "peridural."

Equianalgesic : Having equal pain killing effect; for example, morphine sulfate 10mg intramuscular is generally used for opioid analgesic comparisons.

Facet joint block: Procedure that is performed to determine whether a facet joint is a source of pain, or as a means of pain relief. Facet joints are located on the back of the spine, where one vertebra slightly overlaps another. These joints guide and restrict the spines movement.

Fibromyalgia: Chronic disorder that causes pain and stiffness throughout the tissues that support and move the bones and joints. Pain and localized tender points occur in the muscles, particularly those that support the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips. The disorder includes widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and often depression.

Hyperpathia : A painful syndrome characterized by increased reaction to a stimulus, especially a repetitive stimulus, as well as an increased threshold.

Hypnotherapy : Refers to techniques that bypass the conscious mind and use altered mental states to facilitate behavioral, emotional, or attitudinal change, to treat stress, phobias, and therapeutic side effects, and to promote healing.

Immune system: A complex system that normally protects the body from infections.

Inflammation: A reaction of tissues to injury or disease; inflammation is marked by swelling, redness, heat, and pain. In some cases, inflammation is not evident in chronic pain.

Joint space: The area enclosed within the fibrous capsule and synovium.

Movement-related pain : A type of breakthrough pain that is related to specific activity, such as eating, defecation, socializing, or walking. Also referred to as "incident pain."

Mucositis : Inflammation of a mucous member. Oral mucositis is a common complication of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Nerve block: The injection of a nerve-numbing substance into a nerve or group of nerves.

Neuropathic: A description for a condition that is nerve-related.

NSAIDs: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, used to treat pain and inflammation.

Opioids: Narcotic pain relievers.

Palliative care: Also called comfort care, palliative care is meant to offer relief to chronically or terminally ill people through pain management and symptom management.

Physical dependence: A condition in which there are withdrawal symptoms if a person suddenly stops using a substance.

Prostaglandins: Hormone-like substances that can cause pain. Prostaglandins also serve many other functions.

Scleroderma: A chronic condition that can cause thickening or hardening of the skin.

Stellate ganglion block: A block that is performed to determine if there is damage to the sympathetic nerve chain that supplies the head, neck, chest and arms and if it is the source of a person's pain in those areas.

Sympathetic nerve chain: A network of nerves extending the length of the spine. These nerves control some of the involuntary functions of the body, such as opening (dilating) and narrowing blood vessels.

Tolerance: This condition occurs when the initial dose of a substance loses its effectiveness over time.

Ultrasound: A treatment that uses sound waves to provide deep heat and relieve pain.

Withdrawal: The physiological and mental readjustment that occurs after a persondiscontinues use of an addictive substance. There are varying degrees of withdrawal.