Defining The Doctor’s Discourse – A List of Spine Related Terms (Part 3)

Read Part 1 (A-C) and Part 2 (D-G)

This is part 3 of the continuing series that is focused on listing the definitions of important terms surrounding issues of the spine, bones, and spinal cord. You may want to bookmark this blog post so that you can find it at a later time. While you won’t hear all these words in one visit to the doctor, there’s going to be a few terms listed that will spark your memory and hopefully help you better understand what your doctor is saying.

This post lists terms from H through L.

H____________________________________________________

herniated disc: With age, the center of vertebral discs may start to lose water content, making the disc less effective as a cushion, causing displacement of the disc’s center (herniated or ruptured disc) through a crack in the outer layer. Most disc herniations occur in the bottom two discs of the lumbar spine, at and just below the waist. A herniated disc can press on a nerve root in the spine and may cause back pain or pain, numbness, tingling or weakness of the leg called “sciatica.” Also known as a slipped or ruptured disc, or herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP). Can also occur in the neck and rarely in the thoracic portion of the spine.

HHS: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.

HMO: Health maintenance organization.

Hx: History.

I____________________________________________________

IDET: Intradiscal electrothermal therapy. A percutaneous procedure done on damaged discs to relieve pain by inserting a heated catheter into the damaged area.

instability: When vertebrae move beyond their normal range of motion.

interbody fusion: Grafting bone in the space between discs for the purpose of fusing two vertebral segments.

intervertebral cage: A type of instrumentation used to promote fusion during surgery.

IV: Intravenous.

J____________________________________________________

K____________________________________________________

kyphoplasty: Procedure to repair osteoporosis fractures, where glue-like material is injected into a balloon inserted into a collapsed vertebra.

kyphosis: A curve in the spine that points to the back of the body. A hunchback is one example of kyphosis.

L____________________________________________________

L#: The letter L followed by a number identifies a specific vertebra in the lumbar spine. For example, L3 is the 3rd vertebra in the lumbar spine.L3-4 would refer to the disc between the L3 and L4 vertebrae.

laminectomy: Surgical procedure removing the shingle-like portions of a vertebra to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.

laminotomy: Surgical procedure removing a small bony portion of shigle-like elements (lamina) that protect the neural canal to relieve pressure on the nerve roots.

LBP: Low back pain.

lordosis: Curve in the spine that points to the front of the body.

lumbar: Lower back.

Tags: Medical Questions, Minimally Invasive Spine Institute