SpinalNet - Glossary T

Glossary T

Scroll down this list to find the medical term and its explaination, or click on the links below to jump straight to that section. Click on the table above to choose another letter.

Ta To

Tp Tz

Ta To
Tendons	Tissue that connects muscles to bones. A tendon is a tough, whitish cord that is flexible, but not elastic.
Testes	Pair of male sex organs that lie within the scrotum and produce sperm and the male sex hormone, testosterone.
Testosterone	The main male sex hormone.
Tetraplegia	Also termed quadriplegia. Describes the complete or incomplete paralysis from the neck downwards, affecting all four limbs and the trunk. This is the result of damage to the spinal cord between C1 and C8.
Thoracic	Describes the chest area of the body, i.e., the area below the neck that is encased in ribs. Thoracic vertebrae are the bones of the spine in this region. A thoracic fracture is a break in the thoracic vertebrae.
Thyroid gland	A gland in the neck that produces thyroid hormone and calcitonin. Thyroid hormone is essential for normal body metabolism and calcitonin controls the level of calcium in the blood.
Toxins	Substances that can cause harm to the body.
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Trachea	Windpipe; the tube that runs from the throat (pharynx) and voice box (larynx) down into the lungs.
Tracheostomy	A surgically-made incision through the front of the neck, into the windpipe, in order to create an artificial airway through which a tube can be placed. This can either be used to remove fluid, e.g., mucus from the lungs, or to supply oxygen to them.
Traction	Traction is a non-surgical treatment option for broken or incorrectly positioned bones, e.g., the spine. It involves putting a steady pulling force onto the spinal column (backbone) in order to correct the position of misaligned bones of spine, and to hold them in place while healing takes place.
Tranquillising	Quietening and calming.
Transmit	To send.
Transverse colon	A section of the colon (part of the large intestine) that lies across the top of the abdomen, and joins the ascending and descending parts of the colon.
Transverse myelitis	A medical condition in which nerves in the spinal cord become inflamed and lose the ability to send messages. It can be caused by a virus, and affects the insulating layer of material, called myelin, that covers some of the nerve cells and helps them to send messages. Transverse myelitis can cause paralysis, rather like a traumatic spinal cord injury.
Traumatic	Relating to a physical wound or injury. Traumatic spinal cord injury refers to damage to the spinal cord that has occurred as a result of an injury (e.g., following a car accident) rather than a medical condition or complication.
Trunk	The body, excluding the head, neck, arms and legs.
Tumour	A swelling in or on the body. Usually refers to an abnormal growth of cells in body tissue.
Turning	A method used in patients who spend much time in one position in bed. The nursing staff or carer, with or without the help of specialist equipment, moves the person into another position so that no one body area receives continual pressure.
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