Glossary of Chiropractic & Medical Terms

PAPILLEDEMA - Swelling of the optic nerve head. Can be seen in the back of the retina during eye examination.

PARAPLEGIA - Paralysis of the lower part of the body, including the legs.

PARIETAL LOBE - The middle portion of each cerebral hemisphere.

PASSIVE CARE: The application of treatment/care procedures by the care-giver to a patient who has little or no involvement in bringing about recovery and rehabilitation.

PATHOLOGY – The study of disease states; also used to imply a diseased state, e.g. "pathology found in the bone."

PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY: The requirement that health and other information pertaining to a patient cannot be released by a practitioner without consent from the patient, or compulsion by law.

PEDICLE -The part of each side of the neural arch of a vertebra. It connects the lamina with the vertebral body.

PEER REVIEW: An evaluation by one's colleagues as to the quality, quantity and efficiency of services ordered or performed by the practitioner.

PERIOSTEUM - A fibrous membrane that covers the surface of bone, except at the end of the bones where it is covered with cartilage as part of a joint. In children, the periosteum is involved in forming new bone and molding the configuration of bone. In the adult, the periosteum forms new bone secondary to injury or infection. The periosteum is highly innervated and is pain sensitive. The underlying bone is not pain sensitive.

PERITONEAL CAVITY - Body cavity in which the abdominal organs are situated.

PHYSICAL THERAPY - The non-surgical, non-pharmacologic treatment of specific parts of the body, such as the legs, arms, hands, or neck, in an effort to strengthen, regain range of motion, relearn movement, and/or rehabilitate the musculoskeletal system to improve function.
A dysfunctional relationship where the patient's needs exceed the limits of a professional relationship. There is a loss of balance within the relationship, and the patient becomes overly reliant/dependent on the doctor for a mirage of needs and voids in his/her life.

PINCHED NERVE - Laymen's term for pain perceived to be coming from the back or spine; physically difficult to "pinch" the nerve. A truly "pinched nerve" is actually a compressed nerve. This can happen with disc herniations or spinal stenosis.

PITUITARY- Gland at base of the brain which secretes hormones into the blood stream. Those hormones then regulate other glands, including the thyroid, adrenals, and gonads. Also known as the "master gland".

POSITIVE TEST RESULT: A test result that occurs more frequently in patients with a disorder than in those without the disorder.

POSTERIOR - The back of the body or situated near the back of the body.

POST-GRADUATE EDUCATION: Education beyond first professional degree usually leading to specialty or certification status.

POST-TEST PROBABILITY: The probability of a disorder after the results of a test have been learned (also called post-test risk).

PRACTICALITY OF TREATMENT: This refers to the feasibility issues related to an outcome procedure in clinical practice. Such things as cost, time efficiency, training requirements, patient acceptance, etc. must play a role in this determination. Scientific experimentation plays a significant role here, as well as clinicians, resources and inclinations, which may vary.

PRACTICE GUIDELINES: See Guidelines.

PRECISION: The ability to obtain the same measurement value of a function or structure repeatedly within a set margin of error across the possible range of test applications. It is a measurement of agreement, an indication of random error.

PREDICTIVE VALUE NEGATIVE: The probability of a disorder being absent if a test is negative.

PREDICTIVE VALUE POSITIVE: Probability of a disorder being present if a test is positive.

PRE-TEST PROBABILITY: The probability of a disorder before a test is done (pre-test risk).

PRETEST PROBABILITY: The probability of disorder before a test is done (also prior probability or pretest risk).

PREVALENCE: The total number of cases of a disorder within a population at a certain time in a designated area.

PREVENTATIVE/MAINTENANCE CARE: Elective care given at regular intervals designed to maintain maximum health and promote optimal function. It may incorporate screening procedures designed to identify developing risk problems pertaining to the patient's health status and give advice on same.

PROBABILITY: The expression of opinion, on a scale of 0 to 1.0, about the likelihood that an event or condition will occur.

PROBLEM ORIENTATED MEDICAL RECORDS (POMR): A method of documenting and analyzing patient problems.

PROGRESS NOTES: Brief notations recorded contemporaneously in the patient's file for each office visit or communication episode.

PROPRIOCEPTION – The process of integrating sensations concerning movements of joints and position of the body in space.

PROSTHESIS - An artificial body part, such as an artificial leg or arm. The term prosthesis is also used to describe some of the implants used in the body, such as a hip or knee replacement device.

PROXIMAL - Nearest the center of the body.

PSEUDARTHROSIS - A form of nonunion in which there is the formation of a false joint with some cartilage covering the ends of the bones and a cavity containing fluid that resembles a normal joint.