Terms and Definitions

While exploring the RELIEF Pain Hub or discussing your pain with a healthcare practitioner, you may read or hear terms that are unfamiliar. This page displays definitions (alphabetically) to common words and phrases that may be used on the RELIEF Pain Hub or when discussing pain and its management.  

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): A type of pain management therapy that focuses on assisting individuals accept their thoughts and feelings without the intent of changing them. It attempts to allow the individual to live a fulfilling life by aligning actions with values even during periods of difficult emotions.   

Acute pain: Initial pain that usually begins suddenly and is often caused by an injury, illness or medical procedure. The usual timeframe for acute pain is roughly one month before moving to the subacute phase.  

Affect: A term used to describe an individual’s experiences with emotion, mood, or feelings.  

Anxiety: The normal feeling of uneasiness that individuals experience during times of stress. Anxiety disorders are conditions when the feelings are excessive and/or do not go away which causes significant distress.   

Arthritis: A chronic medical condition that is usually defined by joint inflammation and pain but can affect additional parts of the body. Although there are many different types of arthritis, a few specific examples include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout.    

Assessment: An assessment is a specific process that can be followed to learn about an individual’s medical condition. On the RELIEF Pain Hub, you can find self-completed questionnaires that can help tell you more about your pain and how it is impacting your life as well as feedback to help guide your self-management.    

Assessment tool: An assessment tool is an instrument, such as a questionnaire, that collects and analyzes health-related information to help describe and identify health risks and behaviors. Most assessment tools have undergone rigorous testing to determine validity, reliability, and usefulness as well as mapping to health outcomes to evaluate the meaning of scores.  

Characteristics: Different pain-related factors that an individual can use to describe their pain. Common characteristics that can be used to describe pain include type (what is the cause), intensity (how much it hurts), duration (how long has it hurt), location (where does it hurt), and even triggers (what causes it to hurt).   

Chronic pain: Persistent pain that has lasted past the acute (one month) and subacute (two to three months) phases. The pain can come and go or be continuous and the intensity can be mild to severe.  

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A type of pain management therapy that attempts to assist individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. The overall goal is often to help people develop positive coping skills and improve their quality of life.  

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): Types of products and practices that have historically have not been part of the standard medical process but can be effective and many individuals find them useful. Options include mind-body therapies (Examples: yoga, meditation, biofeedback), biological therapies (Examples: vitamins, supplements), manipulative therapies (Examples: message, chiropractic, osteopathic manipulative therapies) and many others.  

Condition: See “Medical condition” below.   

Depression: A complex combination of factors that results in a persistent low mood or loss of interest in activities.  

Disease: A disorder of structure or function that is known to cause a distinctive group of symptoms, signs, or anatomical changes. 

Disorder: An illness or condition that is known to disrupt normal physical or mental functions. 

Duration: The length of time that the pain has been present. Common terms used to describe duration include “acute” (pain that has been present for less than one month), “subacute” (pain that has been present for between one and three months), and “chronic” (pain that has been present for at least three months).    

Emotions: Mental reactions that an individual experiences as feelings directed at a specific object or situation. Emotions can be complex and involve behavioral and physiological elements that have been shaped by an individual’s lived experiences.    

Evidence-based care: A method of providing health-related care that combines professional knowledge and clinical expertise with the values of the individual receiving care and has been shown to result in improved outcomes.  

Exercise therapy: A type of physical activity often overseen by a healthcare professional such as a physical therapist that can be used to help regain function, improve flexibility, and reduce pain.  

Goal: A specific, realistic, time-bound, actional plan aimed at improving health.  

Headache: Pain or discomfort that one feels in their head, neck, or face which can have multiple causes including stress, food, and medicines. Although there are many types, the most common is a tension headache and is often paired with tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, and jaw. 

Health: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” 

Health outcome: See “Outcome” below.  

Homeostasis: The process by which a person maintains their stable internal environment, even when external conditions change.  

Inflammation: The normal bodily response to harmful stimuli such as an injury, infections or another irritant which can cause pain. Although the inflammatory process is complex, there are five main symptoms including pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function.  

Integrative: The idea of trying to bring together multiple concepts while in medicine it refers to the idea of combining multiple therapies as part of the individual’s management plan. Integrative pain management plans work to bring together multiple healthcare practitioners with different specialties to provide comprehensive evidence-based care.  

Interdisciplinary: A collaborative approach to medical management that involves the coordination and care of multiple healthcare practitioners and specialties working together to treat a condition.  

Intervention: A type of procedure, treatment, or other action that is completed with the goal on improving health or a specific medical condition.   

Learning module: A structured collection of content that supports the education regarding an objective, concept, or theme. 

 Location: In pain management, location is a term used in describing or characterizing the pain. Pain beginning in different areas may have different treatment options.   

Malnutrition: A medical condition that develops when an individual’s body does not have the correct balance of nutrients (either too much or too little), often caused by not eating enough or the necessary foods. Malnutrition can lead to a number of health issues.  

Medical condition: A health issue that affects the body or mind and impacts the ability to function normally. 

Meditation: A practice that aims to draw an individual’s attention and awareness from common destructive thinking to achieve a clear, calm, and stable state.  

Migraine: A medical condition that is often defined by recurring headaches and other symptoms such as nausea (upset stomach), vomiting, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and/or sound, as well as others.  

Mindfulness: A type of meditation used to help reduce stress while relaxing the body and mind that focuses on being aware of current feelings and sensations without judgement about the meaning or cause.    

Module: See “Learning module” above.  

Mood: An individual’s state of mind or feeling over a specific period of time.  

Movement therapy: A process that intends to improve an individual’s movement patterns and retrain their bodies.   

Multidimensional: A concept for assessing and treating pain that considers multiple aspects of the individual’s experience such as how the body feels and is functioning, the individual’s mood, knowledge, and available resources.   

Multidisciplinary: An approach to pain management that includes a variety of healthcare practitioners with difference knowledge and skills working together to provide the best possible care to an individual.  

Musculoskeletal system: A term used to describe the body’s structural system that includes bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage.   

Naloxone (Narcan): A medicine that can be used to quickly reverse an opioid overdose. It can be administered via nose spray or injection into the muscle, under the skin, or into someone’s veins, whenever an opioid overdose is suspected.    

Neurologic system: A term for the complex networks of nerves and other nerve cells that allows an individual to interact with the environment.   

Neuropathic pain: A type of pain that is primarily caused by damage or dysfunction of the nervous system. Symptoms of neuropathic pain can include numbness, prickling or tingling in your hands or feet, sharp or burning pain that is overly sensitive to touch and can include a lack of coordination and muscle weakness. Common types of neuropathic pain include diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, post-shingles neuropathy, and trigeminal neuralgia among many others.  

Nonpharmacologic: A type of medical treatment or intervention that is not primarily dependent on medication. Options for pain management include exercise therapies, movement therapies, physical therapy, and psychological therapies.  

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID): A group of medications that are commonly used to reduce pain by treating inflammation without the presence of a steroid. Common medications include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn).  

Nutrition: A term for the process of obtaining the substances necessary for health and growth usually through food or drink.   

Opioid: A generic term for a substance that is similar to those naturally found in the opium poppy plant. There are many types of opioids including those naturally found, those that are slightly altered from the natural versions (often referred to as semi-synthetic), and those which are completely created by humans (often referred to as synthetic). Opioids can be useful for the treatment of pain, but come with predictable side effects (nausea, vomiting, constipation, among others) and more serious problems (tolerance, withdrawal, addiction, and overdose) even when used exactly as prescribed. Commonly prescribed opioids include codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine while at one time heroine was the most common illicit opioid, it has been replaced by fully synthetic versions of fentanyl.   

Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT): A form of manipulation performed by an osteopathic physician that can be used to assist in the treatment of structural and/or functional issues with the bones, joints, tissues, and/or muscles throughout the body. It focuses of the connection between the neurological and musculoskeletal systems in relation to the rest of the body and aims to restore functionality while removing barriers to motion and healing.    

Outcome: In healthcare, an outcome is a result of an effect that can be measured and attributed to a specific intervention or interventions.  

Overdose: A term that is used to describe the effects when a toxic amount of a substance, or combination of substances, overwhelms the body. Although it is commonly mentioned in relation to opioids, it can occur with many different substances including alcohol, acetaminophen (Tylenol), nutrients, and even water.   

Pacing: A term for the skill that enables an individual to consistently proceed with activities aimed at reducing their pain without doing nothing or causing over-exertion. Those that follow proper pacing often not that it allows them to do more without feeling worse.  

Pain: The often-distressing feeling that can be caused by injury, disease, and/or inflammation as well as many other diseases. It is often described as a signal from your body that something may be wrong. It can be described in various ways including type (such as inflammatory), intensity (such as how much it hurts), duration (such as how long it has been presence), location (such as headache), and how it interferences with your usual activities.  

Pain intensity: A term used to describe the strength of pain that an individual experiences. Common measurements include a numeric rating scale (such as a 0 to 10 scale). The first question on the PEG-3, available on the RELIEF Pain Hub’s Assessment page, aims to measure your pain’s intensity.    

Pain interference: A term used to describe the negative impact that pain causes to an individual’s usual activities. The second and third questions on the PEG-3, available on the RELIEF Pain Hub’s Assessment page, aim to measure your pain’s interference with your enjoyment of life and general activities.  

Pain modulation: The process of changing or modifying the pain signals as they travel along the pain pathway.  

Pain pathway: A complex system that the body uses to detect and respond to painful stimuli.  

Physical therapy: A type of treatment that includes a variety of interventions such as exercise that can be used to relieve pain, help the individual move better, and strengthen muscles. The interventions used during physical therapy are usually overseen by a healthcare practitioner known as a physical therapist. Options include exercises that you do yourself or guided movements the physical therapist assists with as well as pressure therapies such as massage and external stimuli such as heat, cold, electrical currents (similar to TENS), or ultrasound.    

Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS): While reviewing assessment tools on the RELIEF Pain Hub, you may notice some of the options are from PROMIS. These assessments, which cover a wide variety of health measures, are designed to be completed by self-report and can give you an idea of where you stand in comparison to the average person.   

Quality of life (QOL): A term used to describe the health, comfort, and happiness that an individual experiences. The WHO-5 included on the RELIEF Pain Hub’s Assessment page aims to measure this complex concept.    

Relaxation: A term used to describe the calmness an individual can feel during activities such as meditation, breathing exercises, muscle relaxation and other exercises include massage, guided mindfulness as well as many others.    

Reliability: The quality of an item, such as an assessment tool, being trustworthy and/or performing properly consistently.   

Research: The systematic process of investigation to study, establish facts, and reach new conclusions. Health-outcomes research focuses on the study of human health with the goal of learning more and processes that can improve outcomes. It is also referred to as health research, medical research, or clinical research 

Rest: A period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in activity.  

Self-efficacy: A term used to describe an individual’s belief or confidence in their ability to perform a task or achieve a goal such as managing a medical condition such as pain. There are two questionnaires included on the RELIEF Pain Hub’s Assessment page that aim to measure an individual’s ability to manage their symptoms (such as pain) and emotions (such as anxiety).  

Self-management: A term used to describe an individuals’ ability to control or regulate a medical condition in a productive manner. A self-management plan for pain may include a number of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment options that can be used whenever needed.   

Shared decision-making: The process between an individual seeking care and one, or more, healthcare practitioners working together to make the best possible treatment plan and involves everyone sharing thoughts and opinions before a final agreement is reached.  

Sign: A term for the objective (measurable or observable) evidence of a disease that is observed by a healthcare practitioner. The terms “sign” and “symptom” are often used interchangeably despite slightly different definitions.  

Somatosensory pain: A type of pain that comes from the sensory neurons (nervous cells that sense things such as touch, pressure, and temperature) responding to stimulus that are often harmful to the body. Examples of somatosensory pain include injuries from impact (such as a car accident), cuts, and burns.  

Specialty: An individual branch of healthcare practice that is focused on providing treatment for a defined group of conditions, with certain technical skills, or treatment philosophies.  

Steroid: A type of substance that can reduce inflammation and swelling. The body naturally creates steroids, but individuals experiencing inflammation may be prescribed steroid-based medications such as prednisone (Deltasone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), or dexamethasone (Decadron) among many others.  

Subacute pain: Pain that still remains after the acute phase (first month) has concluded but prior to moving into the chronic phase which usually begins around the third consecutive month of pain.  

Symptom: A term for the subjective (self-reported or described) evidence of a disease that only the individual experiencing can explain. The terms “symptom” and “sign” are often used interchangeably despite slightly different definitions.   

Talk therapy: A treatment option that involves talking with trained specialists about thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with the goal of trying to identify and change unproductive patterns and improve skills that can help cope with medical problems.  

Therapy: A type of treatment that is intended to relieve or heal a medical condition. 

Tolerance: The expected reduced responsiveness to a medication, such as an opioid, that is experienced with regular use and is usually manifested by the need to use increasing doses to achieve a desired effect (e.g. pain relief).  

Tracking: The process of collecting and reviewing results of an assessment or assessments to determine the effect of an intervention, program, or treatment plan.  

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): A method of pain management that involves the application of a mild electrical current. It can be done with a personal machine and connected sticky pads (often called electrodes) that are applied to the skin as well as guided by a healthcare practitioner such as a physical therapist.   

Trigger: A term used to describe a specific event that starts or worsens a particular outcome. In pain medicine it can be used to describe something that started pain or made it worse.   

Type: A term used to further describe or characterize. There are many different types of pain and common methods to describe include the cause, duration, and location.  

Validity: The quality of an item, such as an assessment tool, being logically and/or factually sound.  

Wellbeing: A complex combination of an individual’s physical, emotional, and social factors that combine to influence a health-related outcome or outcomes.    

Withdrawal: A set of common physical and mental symptoms that an individual experiences when they cut back or completely stop taking a substance. It is often used in combination with an opioid but can occur with many other medications (including those used for blood pressure management or blood sugar control).  

Yoga: A type of activity that involves breath control, meditation, and specific bodily postures that is widely practiced for health-related reasons as well as relaxation.