You what?
The chances are, if you don't have any medical conditions or a medical degree, you won't understand the terminology in the conditions section. So, I put together a little glossary for you.
Adductor (muscles)
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Muscles that draw parts of the body in towards the midline of the body.
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<< back to osteitis pubis |
Adductor Longus
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This one is in the thigh and is used to bring the thighs together.
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<< back to osteitis pubis |
Aorta
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The largest artery in the body. Goes from the heart into the abdomen where it splits in two. Distributes oxygenated blood to the body. It can widen and rupture in EDS.
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<< back to eds symptoms |
Arachnoid Cyst
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Usually start developing in infancy, they can be congenital (primary), or acquired (secondary). They can appear in the brain or in the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. They’re filled with Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF - see below).
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<< back to tarlov cyst |
Arrhythmia
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Irregular, rapid or slow heartbeats, usually caused by abnormal electrical activity in the heart.
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<< back to eds symptoms |
Arterial
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Relating to the arteries.
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Arteries
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Carry oxygenated (containing oxygen) blood away from the heart (veins carry it towards the heart). Pressing on them lets us feel our pulse. Pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs to be oxygenated.
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Asymptomatic
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Has no symptoms.
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Autonomic Nervous System
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A nervous system which controls unconscious actions like breathing (obviously, can be conscious too!), sweating, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal, etc. Can be divided in to two – Parasympathetic and Sympathetic.
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Chronic
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Going on for a long time (usually more than three months.
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Also known as ME. It’s fatigue that goes on for more than six months, is not caused by exertion and isn’t relieved after resting. It’s far more than just feeling tired.
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Computed Tomography (CT) Scan
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A method of getting images of inside the body using radiation and computer processing. Tomography basically means ‘slices’. It gives great detail and can be used to look at very specific structures.
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<< back to osteitis pubis<< back to dural ectasia |
Congenital
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Something you’re born with.
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Corticosteroid
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A class of steroids that we produce naturally, but can also be made in a laboratory. There are four main types. In this context, they related to inflammation.
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Dermal
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Relating to the skin (or layer just beneath it).
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Dislocation
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When the bones of a joint become misaligned or ‘come out’. Very painful, involving damage to the soft tissues around the dislocated joint.
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<< back to eds symptoms |
Diverticula
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Pouches (outpouching) of a hollow vessel. For example, the bowel shouldn’t have diverticula (known as Diverticulitis), but if it does, bits of poo can get trapped in them. Yes, I know, yuck!
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Dura/Dura Mater
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The outermost of the three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
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<< back to dural ectasia |
Dural tube
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Dural relates to the Dura Mater (see above). I’m sure you know what a tube is!
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Dysautonomia
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When the Autonomic Nervous System (see above) doesn’t function normally.
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Echocardiography
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An ultrasound (see below) scan of the heart to examine it’s motions and structures.
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Ectasia
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Widening or dilation of a hollow structure.
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Etiology
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The study of what causes things. Or where things originate from.
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Gastrointestinal
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Relating to the stomach and intestines.
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Gene Mutation
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When the molecular structure of a gene changes (from normal to abnormal).
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Hernia
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Where all or part of an organ sticks out through a hole (like a hole in a smooth muscle) in its surroundings. Usually found in the abdomen, although not limited to this. Can be congenital (see above), or caused by a rupture or injury.
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Herniated
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See ‘Hernia’.
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Hydrostatic
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Relates to fluids – at rest and the pressures they create.
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Hyperextensibility
Hyperextensible |
Extends (stretches or bends) beyond the normal range. In this context, relating to skin. Think of those people you may have seen on TV who stretch their skin and put pegs on it!
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Hypermobility
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Too much movement. Hypermobile joints move/bend too much – beyond the normal range. Some people call this ‘double-jointed’, which is, in fact, a nonsense!
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Hypoesthesia
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A reduced sense of touch or partial loss of sensitivity.
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Incidental
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In this context, something found on a medical scan that was not looked for, and is considered to be unimportant.
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Joint Capsule
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A sort of envelope surrounding the most moveable joints in the body (like knees, elbows and shoulders - synovial joints).
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<< back to osteitis pubis |
Lesions
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An abnormality found in body tissue. It is a very broad term, and therefore has lots of more specific meaning and implications according to the context in which is it used. They’re classified according to where they are found and what they consist of.
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Ligaments
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A band of tough, fibrous material (made of collagen) that connect bones to other bones. There are different types.
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Lumbar
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The bit of the spine behind the abdomen. Sometimes called the lower spine. It contains the five strongest and biggest vertebrae in the moveable spine.
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan
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Powerful magnets are used to align cells in the body, and radio frequency fields to systematically alter the alignment of this magnetization. This produce a rotating magnetic field detectable by the scanner. Information is then recorded to construct an image of the scanned area of the body. It’s a bit noisey but doesn’t hurt.
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<< back to osteitis pubis<< back to dural ectasia |
Meningeal Cyst
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Meningeal relates to the meninges, which is what the three membranes around the brain and spinal cord are called.
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Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP)
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The Mitral Valve is in the heart. It stops blood flowing backwards to where it shouldn’t be. There are different types of MVP. Also called a Heart Murmur. If you’re born with this, it can vanish as you grow.
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Modality
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A method (of doing something).
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Muscle Fatigue
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In this context, where your strength have absolutely no energy, to the point of being useless.
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Multi-planar
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In the context of MRI scans, the slices seen. Multi-planar = lots of slices/views.
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Mylogram
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Where a dye, for example, is injected in to a part of the body and then an MRI/CT scan is carried out. It helps to detect things in more detail, where a plain scan may have failed.
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Nerve Roots
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In this context, where the nerves first come out of the spine.
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Neurogenic Claudication
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Neurogenic means a problem that originates from a nerve. Claudication is the Latin for limp. Results in things like pain and/or weakness in the legs leading to problems climbing stairs, pushing things, cycling, etc.
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Neurological Disease
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Nerve disorder.
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Oedema
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Swelling, basically. Collection of fluid.
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Paresthesias
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Abnormal sensations on the skin like tingling, burning, pricking, or numbness. It could be chronic or short-term.
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Perineal
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Of the perineum – the area between the vagina and the bum (in females), or the scrotum and the bum (in males).
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Pubic Symphysis
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The joint in the front of the pelvis where the two side meet. Behind you ‘bits’.
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<< back to osteitis pubis |
Radiologists
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People trained to carry out x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, etc.
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Radiology
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The field of medicine covering scans – like x-rays, MRIs, CT, etc.
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Rectus Abdominis
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The famous ‘six-pack’ muscles running down the front of your abdomen.
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Rupture
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A tear or bursting of, in this context, an internal organ.
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Sacrum
Sacral |
A big triangular bone at the bottom of your spine, at the back of your pelvis. It’s connected to the bottom of your lumbar spine (see above). It’s above the coccyx, which is right at the very bottom (also known as the ‘tailbone’). Sacral = of the sacrum.
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Sciatic (nerve)
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The longest and widest nerve in our bodies. It runs from the lower back, through the buttocks and down the legs.
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Sciatica
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The painful condition lots of people have, stemming from one (or more) of the five nerve roots leading to the Sciatic nerve being impinged/compressed/damaged.
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Sublux/ation
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A full or partial joint dislocation, without the soft tissue damage that comes with a dislocation. Happens in any joint very, very frequently in people with my type of EDS.
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Suprapubic
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Area located above the pubis (the bit behind your bits).
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<< back to osteitis pubis |
Tachycardia
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Typically means a resting (not during exercise) heart rate that is faster than normal. Excessively rapid rates mean the heart is pumping less effectively and less blood and oxygen reaches the rest of the body. During tachycardic episodes, the heart is working harder and needs more oxygen. It can be dangerous, depending on speed and rhythms.
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Tendinosis
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Damage (like micro-tears) to the cells of tendons (see below), which are slow to heal. Symptoms include pain, stiffness and swelling. Activity makes the pain worse.
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Tendons
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A band of tough, fibrous material (made of collagen) that usually connect muscles to bones. Tendons and muscles work together.
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Ultrasound (scans)
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Uses sound frequencies that humans can’t hear, that bounce off body structures and forms images of what’s inside. Or something like that! Totally painless and non-invasive.
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Uterine
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Relating to the womb.
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Vertabrae (plural)
Vertabra (singular) |
The bones of the spine.
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If I've got anything wrong, please let me know so I can correct it.