Glossary

  • Action Potential Change in electricity between the inside and outside of a nerve, which is how nerve signals are sent
  • Acute Pain Pain that usually starts suddenly and has a known cause, like an injury or surgery
  • Addiction Physical or mental dependence on a drug or habit 
  • Addictionologist Also known as an “addiction medicine physician,” a doctor that specializes in the providing of medical care for anyone with a substance use disorder
  • Adolescent A young person growing into adulthood
  • Age-Adjusted (age standardization) A technique used to allow populations to be compared when the ages of the populations are quite different
  • Alcoholics Anonymous An organization that supports people who have or have had a drinking problem
  • Alternatives Other possible choices
  • Analgesics Pain relieving medications including over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Advil®) and prescription opioids
  • Axon The part of the neuron that sends signals away from the cell body
  • Axon Terminal Bulbs on the ends of axons that make connections with other nerve cells and parts of the body (Synonym of synaptic terminal)
  • Benzodiazepines Sometimes called “benzos,” these are medications often used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions
  • Brain The part of the central nervous system that controls and coordinates mental and physical actions
  • Brainstem A group of brain structures that controls sensory information and basic functions needed for survival such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and arousal
  • Cell Body The area of the nerve cell that holds the nucleus and the cytoplasm around it, excluding the axons and dendrites
  • Central Nervous System (CNS) The system consisting of the nerves in the brain and spinal cord
  • Cerebral Cortex The gray matter that covers the surface of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain, whose functions include sensory processing and motor control along with language, reasoning, decision-making, and judgment
  • Chemical Structure The way atoms in a molecule are arranged
  • Chronic pain Pain that lasts 3 months or more and can be caused by a disease or condition, injury, medical treatment, swelling, or an unknown reason
  • Compulsion An irresistible urge to do something
  • Constant Pain Pain that does not go away or that cannot be relieved without medication
  • Cortex The outer area of an organ
  • Craving An intense want or need
  • Crisis A time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger
  • Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Enforces the controlled substances laws (including legal and illegal opioids) of the United States and searches out groups and individuals who are involved in the growing, creation, or distribution of controlled substances for illicit use
  • Deep Breathing Taking long breaths for exercise or relaxation
  • Dendrites Short extensions from nerve cells that send signals from other cells to the cell body
  • Dependence Physically or mentally needing a drug after continued use
  • Depressant A drug or other substance that slows down bodily functions
  • Detoxification A way that the body can get rid of a drug 
  • Disparity Inequality, when there is a clear difference between two things
  • Dopamine A brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that controls movement, emotion, motivation, and reinforcement of rewarding behavior 
  • Drug Misuse The use of illegal drugs and/or the use of prescription drugs in a way other than as directed by a doctor
  • Endorphins Hormones in the brain and nervous system that can dull pain and calm down the body
  • Euphoria The experience of pleasure or excitement and intense feelings of well-being and happiness
  • Fentanyl A synthetic (human made) opioid, approved for treating severe pain, often used for cancer pain
  • Healthcare Provider A professional certified to take care of people’s health
  • Heroin An illegal, highly addictive opioid drug made from morphine and poppy plants
  • Illegal Opioids Opioids that are against the law to take, have, or sell, such as heroine
  • Illicit Drugs The nonmedical use of drugs that are against the law 
  • Intermittent Pain Pain that comes and goes
  • Lean Prescription cough medicines mixed with soda and candy for nonmedical use 
  • Legal Opioids Opioids that the law allows people to take or have in controlled and limited situations with a doctor’s prescription
  • Medication A drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease
  • Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Treatment for opioid use disorder combining the use of medications with counseling and behavioral therapies 
  • Medication Disposal A safe, medically approved way to get rid of unneeded medications
  • Meditation A long session of thought or reflections
  • Methadone Used for the treatment of opioid addiction and pain, this is a substance that acts like an opioid but does not have the unwanted or dangerous effects
  • Misdiagnose Coming to an incorrect conclusion about the cause of a disease or problem an incorrect diagnosis
  • Mortality Death
  • Motor Neurons Nerve cells that carry information to muscles and glands
  • Motor Pathway The nerve pathways that carry signals from the brain to muscles and cause movement
  • Myelin Sheath A wrapping of soft, fatty material around certain nerve axons that speeds up nerve signals to the body
  • Narcotic Drugs Some people use the term to refer to all illegal drugs but technically, it refers only to opioids
  • Narcotics Anonymous An international program for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle
  • Naloxone A drug that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose and can be life-saving if administered in time
  • Nerves A fiber or bundle of fibers in our bodies that transmits signals or impulses of sensation to the brain or spinal cord, and signals from these out to the muscles and organs
  • Neurons (nerve cells) The specialized cells that make up the nervous system
  • Neurotransmitter Chemicals that send nerve signals from the synapses to other nerves, muscles, and glands
  • Nociceptors Nerve sensors that respond to pain
  • Nonmedical UseUse without a prescription or use for reasons other than what the medication is intended for
  • Non-Pharmacologic Therapy Treatments that do not involve medications, including physical treatments and behavioral treatments
  • Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID) A medication that is commonly prescribed or purchased over the counter to treat pain and swelling
  • Nucleus The structure in most cells that controls and manages activities of the cell like growth and energy production
  • Objective Pain Scale A measure for a person’s pain that others can notice
  • Opioids A class of drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant (can also be synthetic human made) that work in the brain to produce a variety of effects, including the relief of pain
  • Opioid Receptors Proteins on the surface of cells that pass information from the outside into the cell by interacting with drugs or neurotransmitters
  • Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) A pattern of opioid use that causes problems for the user
  • Overdose When someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of something, often a drug; this can result in serious harm or even death
  • Over the Counter Medicine that you can buy at the pharmacy or store without needing a prescription
  • Oxycodone Semi-synthetic opioid drug prescribed for pain
  • Pain Physical or mental suffering or distress, often caused by illness or injury
  • Pain Scale A measure for a person’s pain, and a tool that doctors use to help assess a person’s pain
  • Percocet A medication that is a combination of an opioid and a non-opioid used to relieve pain  
  • Peripheral Nervous System The part of the nervous system that’s not the brain and spinal cord, the nerve cells and pathways in our body that extend out from the brain and spinal cord
  • Physical Dependence Happens when the body gets so used to a drug that withdrawal symptoms happen when the drug is stopped
  • Prefrontal Cortex The front part of the brain responsible for reasoning, planning, and problem solving
  • Prescription An approval and instruction from a doctor to use a medicine or treatment
  • Prostaglandins Any group of unsaturated fatty acids that have many different effects on the body
  • Protective Factors Conditions, behaviors, or characteristics that lower one’s risk of having a particular problem or illness and provides some level of protection
  • Rate A measure, quantity, or frequency, typically one measured against some other quantity or measure
  • Recovery Improving health and quality of life by getting treatment for substance use disorder 
  • Refusal Skills Skills learned to help avoid risky behavior
  • Rehabilitation The action of getting someone back to health or normal life through training and therapy after addiction
  • Rehabilitation Facility A place where a person can go to help regain their independence through treatment, with medical and nursing support as required
  • Relapse The return to drug use after an attempt to stop
  • Respiratory Depression A breathing disorder where the person breathes slowly and ineffectively
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis A chronic disease that causes pain and inflammation in the joints
  • RICE Protocol (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)A way to relieve pain without using medications, but can also be used along with medication
  • Risk Factor A condition, behavior, or characteristic that raises one’s risk of having a particular problem or illness
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) An agency that helps improve the lives of individuals living with mental and substance use disorders, and their families 
    Hotline 1-800-662-HELP (4357)  
  • Sensation The power to feel through the senses
  • Sensing Pathway The nerve paths that carry signals through the body
  • Sensory Neurons Nerve cells that carry information from the senses to the nervous system
  • Sickle Cell Disease A chronic disease that is characterized by chronic and intermittent pain
  • Snort A method of taking illicit drugs
  • Spinal Cord The cord of nerve tissue inside the spine
  • Subjective Pain Scale A measure for a person’s pain that only they can notice
  • Substance Misuse Doing too much of a drug to the point of physical, mental, and/or emotional harm
  • Suboxone The brand name for a prescription medication used to treat people who are addicted to opioids
  • Synapse The area where nerve signals are sent and received
  • Synaptic Terminal Bulbs on the ends of axons that makes connections with other nerve cells and parts of the body
  • Synthetic Material made with chemical processes by humans
  • Take Back Events Events where people can bring unused opioids and medications so that they can be thrown away safely
  • Therapy A treatment for a disease or a physical/mental disorder
  • Tolerance When a medication or drug no longer works the way it is supposed to because the body has begun to adapt to it and tolerate it, so it takes more of the substance to get the same effect
  • Treatment Medical care given to a person to help overcome drug misuse 
    • Inpatient When a person stays for a period of time at facility for treatment
    • Outpatient When a person goes to a facility on a regular, scheduled basis for treatment
  • Vicodin A medication that is a combination of an opioid and a non-opioid, used to relieve pain
  • Withdrawal Symptoms that can occur after long-term use of a drug is reduced or stopped  

Definitions for terms are adapted from the following resources: