Glossary

Activator Adjusting Instrument: It is a small handheld device that is used to tap vertebrae back into place.

Acute back pain: It refers to back pain that lasts a day to three months.

Arthritis: It is a condition of inflammation of the joints. There are many types such as rheumatoid, psoriatic, but the most common is Osteoarthritis.

Atlas: Topmost vertebra of the neck.

Bio-kinetics: This refers to the study of the body’s motion.

Cavitations: It is the pop or crack that you hear when you are being adjusted.

Chronic back pain: Back pain that lasts more than three months. • Cox flexion-distraction technique: This is a method of using a movable table to distract or stretch the spinal segments.

Degeneration: This is when the joints wear over time with repetitive use.

Diversified chiropractic technique: This refers to a variety of hands on adjusting techniques. It is used to detect limited range of motion and subluxations and then adjust the joint to induce motion.

Full-spine technique: Adjusting the spine from the neck down. “Flying Seven”

Gonstead technique: Adjustments using a short, quick, direct line of drive, with very specific adjustment listings.

Herniation: This is a condition of the intervertebral disc. When the fibers of the disk tear, due to injury or degeneration, the jell-like liquid in the center of the disk bulges out and contacts the nerve causing pain.

Maintenance care: Refers to periodic adjustments that are used to make sure the patient maintains optimal health once the treatment plan goals have been reached.

Mobilization: This refers to unlocking non-mobile areas by stretching, manipulation, massage, exercise etc.

Nerve root: One of the two nerve masses radiating from the spinal cord. They come together to form a segmental spinal nerve. Irritated commonly in disc injuries.

Range Of Motion: Defines the how much movement you have in a particular area of the body. The types of movement flexion or forward movement, extension or backward movement, rotation or a twisting movement, and lateral or moving side to side.

Vertebra: Any of the bones or segments composing the spinal column. They help protect the nerves and the spinal cord.