Back Pain Glossary

Osteoporosis - a disease of the bones that results in an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density reduces and the variety of proteins in the bone is altered, leading to back pain. 

Sciatica – a group of symptoms, including pain likely to be caused by compression and irritation of 1 of 5 spinal nerve roots, or by compression or irritation of the left or right or both sciatic nerves.

Osteoarthritis – a degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease. Composing of a group of mechanical abnormalities including degradation of joints including articular cartilage and subchondral bone.

Rheumatoid arthritis – a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder that can affect tissue and organs in addition to the synovial joints. Rheumatoid arthritis produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells.

Ankylosing spondylitis – which was previously known as Bekhterev's disease, Bekhterev syndrome, and Marie-Strümpell disease, is a form of Spondyloarthritis, which is a chronic inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune disease which principally affects the joints of the spine and the sacroilium in the pelvis.

Herniated disc – often called a 'slipped disc' which is a condition affecting the spine whereby a tear in the outer fibrous ring of an interverebral disc allows the soft central portion to petrude.

Spinal Stenosis – a narrowing of the spinal column that can occur in any of the regions of the spine, the most common being at the neck level and lumbar spinal stenosis at the level of the lower back.

Spondylolisthesis – a medical condition whereby the bone in the lower part of the spine slips out of its correct position onto the bone below it.

Facet syndrome - a condition in which the joints in the back of the spine degenerate and subsequently cause pain. The syndrome is also knows as Facet Joint Disease.

Sacro Iliac Joint Dysfunction – is thought to cause lower back pain as well as sometimes leg pain. The leg pain can often be difficult to manage and is described as being similar to sciatica or pain due to a lumbar disc herniation.

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