Blue Portance · Living reference
Clear definitions and independent references to understand the terms used in our articles.
94 published terms
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The definitions
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A herniated disc is the localized displacement of part of the intervertebral disc, most often the nucleus, through a tear in the annulus fibrosus. It can irritate or compress a nerve root, but it is also frequently painless.
4 references cited Scope and limits in the entry
Hip mobility refers to the range and quality of movement of the hip joint, which connects the pelvis to the femur: flexion and extension, moving the thigh away from and toward the midline, and rotations.
1 references cited Scope and limits in the entry
Hyperalgesia is an increased pain response to a normally painful stimulus. In other words, a stimulus that is already painful causes abnormally amplified pain. It is a descriptive clinical term that does not, on its own, designate a mechanism.
4 references cited Scope and limits in the entry
Hypertonia refers to an increase in muscle tone or in resistance to passive movement. The term does not describe a single cause: depending on the context, it may reflect a neurological disorder, increased muscle activity, difficulty relaxing, tissue stiffness or a protective strategy related to pain.
5 references cited Scope and limits in the entry
