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L.
Other
Relevant Medical Rehabilitation Terms
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Abnormal
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Different
from the average; inappropriate with regard to the standards of society,
social role or the existing set of circumstances.
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Acute
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Sharp,
severe. 2. Having rapid onset, severe symptoms and a short course.
The early stages of an injury (as opposed to chronic, which is long term)
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Agnosia
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Failure
to recognize familiar objects although the sensory mechanism is intact.
May occur for any sensory modality.
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Amnesia
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Lack
of memory about events occurring during a particular period of time.
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Anesthesia
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Partial
or complete loss of sensation resulting from disease, injury or
administration of an anesthetic agent.
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Anosmia
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Loss
of the sense of smell. Syn: anodmia
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Anoxia
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A
lack of oxygen. Cells of the brain need oxygen to stay alive. When blood
flow to the brain is reduced or when oxygen in the blood is too low, brain
cells are damaged.
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Antibody
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A
protein produced by the immune system to attack bacteria, viruses or other
invading disease producing agents. Each antibody has a molecular structure
that exactly fits the structure of each foreign body (antigen) like a key
and a lock. Antibodies are carried in the blood. It is also common to add
antibodies to treat specific disease antigens if we lack immunities to
them (vaccination).
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Anticonvulsant
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Meditation
used to decrease the possibility of a seizure (e.g., dilantin,
phenobarbital, mysoline, tegrtol).
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Antidepressant
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A
drug prescribed to treat depression; standard tricyclic antidepressants
include Tofranil, Imvate, Elavil, Norpramin, and Adapin. Side effects
include some sedation, dry mouth, and visual problems.
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Arthroplasticy
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Surgical
reconstruction of a damaged or malformed joint to alleviate and improve
joint mobility.
An artificial joint (prosthetis) may ormany not be used.
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Aspiration
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The
act of inhaling solid or liquid materials into the lungs.
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Atrial
fibrillation
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Rapid,
irregular contraction of the atria of the heart that produces an irregular
and often rapid ventricular rate.
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Cardiac
arrhythmia
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Irregular
or abnormally slow or rapid beating of the heart.
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Comorbidity
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One
or more additional chronic diseases (e.g., an individual who has suffered
a stroke, such as heart or lung disease.
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Confidentiality
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A
principle which states that personal information about others,
particularly patients, should not be revealed to persons not authorized to
receive such information.
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Continent
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The
ability to control urination and bowel movements.
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CT
Scan
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Computerized
axial tomography is a cross-sectional X-ray enhancement technique that
greatly benefits diagnosis with high resolution video images, some in
three dimensions.
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Deconditioning
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The
loss of cardiovascular or physical fitness as a result of
inactivity.
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Diagnosis
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Identification
of a disease or condition by a scientific evaluation of physical signs,
symptoms, history, as well as laboratory tests and procedures.
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Discharge
Planning
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Preparation
for life after rehab, including insurance and legal issues, home
adaptation, and community support issues.
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Dislocation
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Complete
loss of joint alignment occurring when the bone ends forming the joint
articulation contact with each other.
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Embolus
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A
blood clot or other foreign substance that travels in the bloodstream to
occlude an artery or vein.
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Evoked
Potential
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Registration
of the electrical response of brain cells as detected by electrodes placed
on the surface of the head at various places. The evoked potential, unlike
the waves on an eeg, is elicited by a specific stimulus applied to the
visual, auditory or other sensory receptors of the body. Evoked potentials
are used to diagnose a wide variety of central nervous system disorders.
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Hemorrhage
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Abnormal
internal or external discharge of blood. May be venous, arterial or
capillary from blood vessels into tissues, into or from the body. Venous
blood is dark red; flow is continuous. Arterial blood is bright red;
flows in jets. Capillary blood is of a reddish color; exudes from tissue.
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Hemorrhage
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Bleeding
from the rupture of a blood vessel.
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History
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An
account of the medical, psychological and social events in a patient's
life as well as certain details about family, ancestors and the
environment that may have a bearing on the patient's condition.
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History
Of Present Illness
(HPI)
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An
account by the patient of the onset, duration and character of the present
illness or condition as well as any acts or situations which aggravate or
alleviate the symptoms. Includes the patient's statement regarding what he
or she believes to be the cause of the symptoms, and whether or not a
similar condition has happened in the past.
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Hypertension
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Elevated
blood pressure.
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Hypothermia
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A
technique used to cool the spinal cord after injury. Hypothermia may
reduce metabolic and oxygen requirements of the injured tissue and may
reduce edema (swelling), which in turn may reduce secondary nerve fiber
damage. Because of technical problems (it may involve exposing the spinal
cord), hypothermia is not widely in use at spinal centers in the u.s.
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Hypoxia
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Lack
of blood oxygen due to impaired lung function. Important in emergency
treatment for quads. Hypoxia can further damage oxygen sensitive nerve
tissue.
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Immune
Response
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The
body's defense function that produces antibodies to foreign antigens. It
is important in organ and tissue transplantation since the body is likely
to reject new tissues. Some theorize that injury to the nervous system
exposes the immune system to previously unrecognized central nervous
system autoantigens, which interfere with regeneration.
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Incontinence
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Lack
of bowel and/or bladder control.
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Inflammation
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A
localized response, elicited by injury or destructin of tissues, which is
the bod’s attempt to protect the injured tissues (characterized by
redness, swelling, and pain)
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Intracranial
Pressure
(ICP)
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Cerebro-spinal
fluid (CSF) pressure measured from a needle or bolt introduced into the
CSF space surrounding the brain. It reflects the pressure inside of the
skull.
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Ischemia
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A
reduction of blood flow that is thought to be a major cause of secondary
injury to the brain or spinal cord after trauma.
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Laminectomy
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An
operation used to relieve pressure on the spinal cord (by removing the
posterior arch of a vertebra), or used to examine the extent of damage to
the cord.
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Lateral
Anterior Decompression
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Surgical
procedure to reduce pressure on the spinal cord by removing bone
fragments. Some patients report dramatic functional improvement. It must
be noted that medical success depends on patient selection since not all
people qualify and not all benefit from this kind of surgery. Some
conditions may worsen after surgery.
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Morbidity
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An
illness or abnormal condition or quality.
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Nerve
Growth Factor
(NGF)
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A
"vitamin" for nerve cells. NGF, a protein, supports survival of
embryonic neurons, and regulates neurotransmitters. NGF is one of several
growth factors that have been identified in the central nervous system. It
is theorized that these factors, including the much rarer BDNF (brain
derived neurotrophic factor) and CNTF (ciliary neurotrophic factor) have
important roles in regeneration. Exact knowledge of the role of growth
factors continues to be a major area of neuroscience, and may lead to
drugs that enhance growth of nerve tissue.
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Neurogenic
Bladder
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Any
bladder disturbance due to an injury of the nervous system.
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Neurological
Examination
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An
examination of he nervous system which includes an evaluation of mental
Competency.
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Occlusion
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Blockage.
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Plasticity
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Long-term
adaptive mechanism by which the nervous system restores or modifies itself
toward normal levels of function. The peripheral nervous system is quite
plastic, while the central nervous system was long thought to be
"wired" permanently, lacking plasticity. It is known now that
the central nervous system reorganizes or forms new synapses in response
to injury. In lower species (including some kinds of songbirds), it has
been shown that the central nervous system can actually create new nerve
cells in animal adults.
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Postural
Drainage
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Using
gravity to help the clear lungs of mucus by positioning the head lower
than chest.
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Postural
Hypotension
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The
reduction of blood pressure resulting in light-headedness. Due to changes
in the autonomic nervous system of persons with spinal cord injury, blood
vessels do not decrease in size in response to lowered blood pressure. The
result is that blood pools up in legs or pelvic region.
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Pre-Morbid
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The
condition of the patient before the onset of the present symptoms.
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Prognosis
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The
prospect as to recovery from a disease or injury as indicated by the
nature and symptoms of the case. A prediction of the probable
outcome of a medial problem based on the condition of the patient and the
usual course of the problem as observed in other individuals.
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Prophylaxis
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Treatments
aimed at preventing disease.
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Psychological
Examination
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A
group of standardized tests designed to measure an individual's
intellectual capacity, motivation, perception, role behavior, values,
level of anxiety, coping mechanisms, depression and general personality
integration.
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Ptosis
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Drooping
of a body part, such as the upper eyelid, from paralysis, or drooping of
the visceral organs from weakness of the abdominal muscles.
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Quadraparesis
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Partial
loss of function all four (4) extremities of the body.
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Resection
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Removal
or excision of a tissue or body part.
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Review
Of Systems
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A
physical examination.
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Seizure
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An
uncontrolled discharge of nerve cells which may spread to other cells
nearby or throughout the entire brain. It usually lasts only a few
minutes. It may be associated with loss of consciousness, loss of bowel
and bladder control and tremors. May also cause aggression, and
other behavioral changes.
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Sequelae
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Residual
symptoms frequently observed following recovery from a physical condition,
treatment or injury.
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Shearing
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Microscopic
lesions in the brain caused when the movement of the brain within the
skull puts strain on delicate nerve fibers and blood vessels causing them
to stretch to the point of breaking.
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Shunt
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A
tube used to drain a cavity. In the spinal cord, a shunt is used to treat
a syrinx by equalizing pressures between the syrinx and the spinal fluids.
In spinal bifida, it is used to reduce pressure of hydrocephalus.
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Skin
Graft
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Using
the skin from another part of the body to repair a defect or trauma of the
skin.
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Sphincterotomy
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The
cutting of the bladder sphincter muscle to eliminate spasticity and
related voiding problems. A non-surgical sphincterotomy uses a chemical
block to inactivate transmitter-release between sphincter nerve and
muscle, gradually stopping contractions; it is also reversible.
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Spinal
Shock
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Similar
to a concussion in the brain, spinal shock causes the system shuts down.
In spinal cord injury, shock causes immediate flaccid paralysis, which
lasts about three or four weeks. Improvement then occurs to a great
extent, due to several possibilities: restoration of blood flow; synaptic
reconnection; restoration of myelin integrity and axonal connection.
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Spondylolisthesis
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Any
forward slipping of one vertebra on the one below it.
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Stimulus
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An
internal or external event which generates nervous system activity or
response.
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Tracheotomy
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Opening
in windpipe to facilitate breathing.
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Trauma
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A
physical injury caused by violent or disruptive action; a psychological
injury caused by severe emotional shock.
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Urinary
Tract Infection
(UTI)
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Bacterial
invasion of the urinary tract, which includes bladder, bladder neck and
urethra. Symptoms include urine that is cloudy, contains sediment and
smells foul, and fever.
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Vital
Signs
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Consist
of taking blood pressure, pulse, respiration and temperature.
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Work
Up
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The
process of performing a complete evaluation of a patient's condition
including history, physical examination, laboratory tests and x-ray
or other diagnostic procedures necessary for a doctor to use in making a
diagnosis and forming a treatment plan.
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