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Pain Management— Pain management can be simple or complex, depending on the cause of the pain. An example of pain that is typically less complex would be nerve root irritation from a herniated disc with pain radiating down the leg. This condition can often be alleviated with an epidural steroid injection and physical therapy. Sometimes, however, the pain does not go away. This can require a wide variety of skills and techniques to treat the pain. These skills and techniques include:
- Interventional procedures
- Medication management
- Physical therapy or chiropractic therapy
- Psychological counseling and support
- Acupuncture and other alternative therapies; and
- Referral to other medical specialists
All of these skills and services are necessary because pain can involve many aspects of a person's daily life.
Palpation
— Examining the spine with your fingers; the art of feeling with the hand.
Pathology
— A disease process.
Pathophysiology
— A malfunction of the body system(s) and/or spine.
Pediatrics
— The care of infants and children and the treatment of their diseases.
Peripheral Nerve System
— The nervous system that connects the central nervous system with every cell, tissue, and organ of the body.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
— A type of coverage in an auto policy that pays for medical costs in case of an accident.
Personal injury
— An injury sustained from an automobile or slip and fall accident.
Physiology
— The biological science of essential and characteristic life processes, activities, and functions; the vital processes of an organism.
Physical Therapy— A branch of rehabilitative health that uses specially designed exercises and equipment to help patients regain or improve their physical abilities. Physical therapists work with many types of patients, from infants born with musculoskeletal birth defects, to adults suffering from sciatica or the after- effects of injury, to elderly post-stroke patients.
Physiotherapy
— Treatment with physical and mechanical means, such as massage, electricity, etc.
Posterior
— Toward the back of the body.
Post-examination
— An examination used to monitor the healing process and the patients progress towards recovery.
PPI— Proton pump inhibitors (PPI's) reduce the production of acid by blocking the enzyme in the wall of the stomach that produces acid. The reduction of acid prevents ulcers and allows any ulcers that exist in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum to heal.
PPO
— Preferred Provider Organization. A network of doctors and hospitals that contract with an insurance company or employer to provide employees with services at competitive rates.
Pre-authorization
— The prior approval required by some payers before benefit payments will be granted.
Preventive care
— Health care that focuses on early detection and treatment in an attempt to reduce costs.
Prognosis
— A prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease or the likelihood of recovery from a disease.
Prone
— Lying horizontal with the face downward.
Provider
— Those who provide health care services, such as hospitals, physicians, chiropractors, nurse practitioners and others.
Pseudomonas Infection
— Infection usually with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the versatile "blue-green pus bacteria" that opportunistically infects people, especially those who are immunocompromised. Pseudomonas rarely causes infection in healthy individuals but it is a major cause of hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections. It tends to infect people with immunodeficiency or burns and those with indwelling catheters or on respirators. Infection with pseudomonas can lead to urinary tract infections, sepsis (blood stream infection), pneumonia, pharyngitis, and many other medical problems. Pseudomonas colonizes the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and contributes to the chronic progressive pulmonary disease and death rate in CF.
Psoriasis
— is a noncontagious common skin condition that causes rapid skin cell reproduction resulting in red, dry patches of thickened skin. The dry flakes and skin scales are thought to result from the rapid buildup of skin cells. Psoriasis commonly affects the skin of the elbows, knees, and scalp.
Some people have such mild psoriasis (small, faint dry skin patches) that they may not even suspect that they have a medical skin condition. Others have very severe psoriasis where virtually their entire body is fully covered with thick red, scaly skin.
Psoriasis is considered a non-curable, long-term (chronic) skin condition. It has a variable course, periodically improving and worsening. Sometimes psoriasis may clear for years and stay in remission. Some people have worsening of their symptoms in the colder winter months. Many people report improvement in warmer months, climates, or with increased sunlight exposure.
PT— Physical therapy.
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