| Ambulant |
Walking, able to walk. |
| Anterior cord syndrome |
An incomplete lesion when only the front of the spinal cord is damaged, almost always at the cervical level.
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| Aperient |
See laxative |
Arachnoiditis |
Thickening and scarring of the membranes which surround and protect the nerve roots. Cysts or adhesions develop, causing pressure on the cord, back pain and/or additional loss of nerve function. It can be caused by diseases such as meningitis and tuberculosis of the spine. More commonly it develops in people with spinal cord injury, or who have had operations on the spine. In the past it was often caused by the use of oil-based dyes injected into the spinal column to make myelograms. These dyes are no longer used. Milder forms of arachnoiditis are now believed to be the cause of the chronic back pain suffered by many able bodied people. |
| AUS |
Artificial urinary sphincter - an inflatable cuff surgically fitted around the neck of the bladder, controlled by a pump located in the scrotum or labia. |
| Automatic bladder |
Where the nerve impulses between the bladder and the spinal cord remain intact and the bladder can be trained to empty by reflex action. |
Autonomic
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The 'vegetative' nervous system which is separate from but linked to that of the spinal cord. It controls the bladder and bowels, blood circulation and sweating. |
| Autonomic dysreflexia |
Sudden increase in blood pressure to which tetraplegics are especially prone because their autonomic nervous system is disrupted. Commonly caused by an over-full or infected bladder or bowel, it produces sweating and a blinding headache. It is a medical emergency, and if untreated can cause death. |
| Baclofen pump |
A pump and reservoir implanted to deliver a measured dose of the drug Baclofen to the spinal cord to suppress spasm. |
| Brown-Sequard syndrome |
Occurs when one side of the spinal cord is damaged, common when injury is caused by a stab wound. On the injured side of the body there are decreased reflexes, while on the opposite side there is a loss of sense of pain and temperature. |
| Bursa, bursitis |
A pocket of fluid which collects between tissue and the bone, caused by pressure or bumps, and which can cause a pressure sore. |
| Calculus |
A 'stone' in the bladder, kidney or gall-bladder. |
| Catheter |
A fine tube usually made of plastic which is inserted into the bladder to empty it. |
| Cauda equina |
The 'horse's tail', the three inch bundle of fine nerves leaving the lower end of the spinal cord, below the level of the second lumbar vertebra. |
| Central cord syndrome |
Incomplete lesion usually at the cervical level. Feeling is less affected than movement, but bladder and sexual function are often only slightly affected and some people will be able to walk to some extent. |
| Cervical |
The neck area. The cervical section of the spinal cord contains 8 nerve roots which control neck movement, breathing and the shoulders, arms and wrists. |
| Chest |
See thoracic |
| Coccyx, Coggygeal |
The Coccyx is the tail. In humans this consists of four tiny bones fused together at the base of the spine. |
| Colposuspension |
See Stamey colposuspension |
| Contractures |
Stiffening of the joints of paralysed limbs caused by wasting and shortening of the muscles - can be diminished or prevented by exercise and physiotherapy.
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| CSF |
Cerebro-spinal fluid, a colourless liquid within the skull and the spinal canal which nourishes the brain and spinal cord and acts as a water cushion. |
| Cystic myelopathy |
A spinal cyst. See syringomyelia. |
| Cystoplasty |
Operation to enlarge the bladder by incorporating a section of the bowel into it. |
| Cystoscopy / cystogram |
Visual examination of the bladder with a tiny instrument inserted through the uretha. |
| Decubitus ulcer |
Pressure sore
|
| Detrusor |
The muscle in the wall of the bladder, which contracts to squeeze out urine to empty it. |
| Diaphoresis |
Profuse sweating. |
| Discs |
Pads of gristle which separate the spinal vertebrae and surround and cushion the spinal cord. |
| DVT |
Deep vein thrombosis - a blood clot in a vein, usually in the leg, which may cause swelling. If untreated, it can be a cause of death if a portion of the clot breaks away and reaches the heart. |
| Dysesthesias |
Painful sensations experiences below the level of lesion following spinal cord injury. Often described as burning, numbness, pins and needles or tingling. |
| Edema |
See Oedema. |
| Enema |
Technique for emptying the bowel by introducing liquid into the rectum to loosen the faeces and provoke a bowel motion. |
| Eididymitis |
Swelling of the tube leading from the male testicle to the uretha. |
| Expressing |
Exerting gentle pressure over a full bladder, to empty it. |
| Feneley procedure |
Operation to close off the uretha and neck of the bladder and insert a suprabubic catheter. |
| FES |
Functional Electrical Stimulation, a way of stimulating the muscles of paralysed limbs (usually the legs, occasionally the arms) by using computer-controlled electrical current. FES aims to provide arm function in tetraplegia and to restore some degree of walking in paraplegia. It can also reduce muscle wasting and osteoporosis. |
| Flaccid bladder |
Where the nerves between the bladder and the spinal cord have been damaged, the bladder lacks reflex activity and cannot be trained to empty. |
| Haemorrhoids |
Piles, varicose veins inside or outside the rectum. |
| HRT |
Hormone Replacement Therapy, given to some women close to or after the menopause to provide a continued supply of some of the hormones secreted by their bodies during the menstrual cycle. Usually given to prevent osteoporosis, it is believed by some to promote general well-being and to slow the natural ageing process. |
| Hydrocele |
Swelling of and fluid on the testicles. |
| Hypersensitivity |
When some parts of the body or skin become acutely sensitive to touch - a side effect of spinal cord injury in some individuals. |
| Hypertension |
High blood pressure. See Autonomic dysreflexia. |
Hyperthermia
|
Excessive rise in body temperature, to which some high-level tetraplegics are prone, because of the autonomic system controlling their body temperature is impaired. |
| Ileo-conduit |
A surgical operation to create an artificial bladder from a piece of small intestine. This is then emptied via an opening (ostomy) in the wall of the abdomen. |
| Ischial tuberosites |
The bony points at the base of the pelvis - one of the most vulnerable points for pressure sores when sitting. |
| Indwelling catheter |
Introduction of a catheter into the bladder at regular intervals to empty it. |
| IVP |
Intravenous Pyleogram - injection of an x-ray opaque dye to enable x-ray inspection of the kidneys. |
| Laxative |
Substance (food or medicine) taken to cause a bowel movement. |
| Lesion |
A cut, sore or injury. Often used to describe the site of injury to the spinal cord (e.g. 'a C5 lesion..') |
| Lithotripsy |
Ultrasound treatment to break up bladder or kidney stones. |
| Lodosis |
Backwards curvature of the spine. |
| Lumbar |
The lower back area. The lumbar section of the spinal cord contains 5 nerve roots which control the muscles of the legs. |
| Meninges |
The silky linings of the skull and spinal cord which protect the brain and spinal cord. |
| Meningitis |
Inflammation of the meninges, the linings of the skull and spinal canal. Usually caused by a virus, and sometimes fatal, especially in children. Meningitis serosa circumscripta or arachnoiditis is a rare condition that affects some people with spinal cord injury. |
| Micturition |
Urination |
| Motor function |
The ability of parts of the body to move. |
| MRI scan |
Magnetic resonance imaging, a non-invasive technique of body scanning which produces very good images without side effects. Used to examine the spinal cord, e.g., to detect syringomyelia. |
| MSU |
A mid-stream specimen of urine, collected after discarding the first 60mls or so of the urine stream. |
| Myelogram |
X-ray of the spine after injection of an x-ray opaque dye into the spinal column. |
| Neck |
See cervical |
| Oedema |
Swelling, especially of the feet and ankles, caused by water retention and poor circulation. |
| Omentum |
An apron-like flap of tissue which hangs from the underside of the stomach and aids circulation in the abdomen. Used in a transplant operation it may help stimulate undamaged nerve tissue in people with spinal cord injury. |
Osteoporosis
|
Abnormal weakening or softening of the bone, common in elderly people and some women after the menopause. |
| Ostomy |
See stoma. |
| Paraplegia / paraplegic |
Paralysis caused by injury or damage to the spinal cord below the neck. |
| Peristalsis |
The process of contraction and expansion by which food is moved through your intestines and into your bowel. |
| Piles |
See haemorrhoids. |
| Postural hypotension |
Sudden drop in blood pressure which produces a blackout or feeling of faintness, experienced by the newly injured and by tetraplegics on being changed too quickly from a lying to an upright position. |
| Pressure sores |
See debubitus ulcer. |
| Quadraplegia / quadriplegic |
See tetraplegia |
| Reflux |
The backing up of urine into the ureters and/or kidneys. This happens when the bladder is full and is not regularly emptied. |
| Root pain |
Intense pain in the damaged nerve endings or nerve roots, which afflicts some SCI people, especially in the early days of paralysis. |
| Sacral |
The area at the base of the spine, where the five sacral vertebrae are fused together. The five sacral nerve roots control the bladder and bowel. |
| SARS |
Sacral Anterior Root Stimulator - a surgical implant which restores bladder control in some paraplegics. |
| SCI |
Spinal cord injury |
| Scoliosis |
Lateral curvature of the spine. |
| Sensory |
To do with the senses (of touch, sight, smell, hearing, taste). |
| Spasm / spastic / spasticity |
Spontaneous, uncontrolled muscle movement or jerking of paralysed limbs. |
| SPES |
Sub-Perception Electrical Stimulation - a technique which applies minute electrical currents to the body to help control pain. |
| Sphincter |
Circular muscle at the base of the bladder neck and also around the anus, which controls opening of the bladder and bowel respectively. |
| Sphincterotomy |
Operation to cut the external sphincter of the bladder to aid urinary drainage. |
| Spina bifida |
Abnormal split or opening in the spinal column, normally caused by a genetic defect and present from a nearly stage of the development of the foetus in the womb. |
| Spinal block |
Technique for controlling pain or spasticity by injecting drugs into the spinal column. |
| Stoma |
A small opening cut into the wall of the abdomen to create an exit for a supra-pubic catheter, bladder or bowel diversions. |
| Stone |
See calculus |
| Stamey colposuspension |
Operation to tighten the neck of the bladder by insertion of nylon ligatures. |
| Suppository |
Bullet-shaped capsule inserted into the anus or vagina. Used to stimulate bowel movement, to treat haemorrhoids, and in women to deliver various medications to the vagina and cervix. |
| Suprapubic catheter |
A tube inserted through a small puncture hole in the lower abdomen into the bladder where it remains to provide a continuous urine drainage system. |
| Swelling |
See oedema |
| Syringomyelia |
A condition affecting some able-bodied as well as some people with spinal cord injury. A cavity in the spinal cord fills with cerebrospinal fluid. The resulting pressure further enlarges the cavity and damages the nerve tissues in the cord. In SCI people this tends to occur above the level of the original injury, causing pressure on nerve roots and pain or further loss of sensation in upper limbs. |
| Syrinx |
A cavity in the spinal cord. See syringomyelia |
| TENS |
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation - a technique for pain relief involving electrical stimulation of the skin surface with small electrodes. |
| Tetraplegia / tetraplegic |
Paralysis caused by injury or damage to the upper or cervical section of the spinal cord. |
| Thoracic |
The chest area. The thoracic section of the spinal cord contains 12 nerve roots which control the muscles of the ribs, chest and abdomen. |
| Trochanters |
The tops of the thigh bones - a high-risk point for pressure sores when lying down. |
| Ureters |
The tubes which carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. |
| Urethra |
The tube which carries urine from the bladder, exiting via the penis in males and in front of the vagina in females. |
| UTI |
Urinary Tract Infection |
| Vertebrae |
The bones (there are 33 of them) which make up the spine. Each vertebra has a hole in its centre, so that when stacked on top of one another they form a long channel called the spinal canal, through which the spinal cord runs. |
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