Diagnostics
Tumor of the muscle
myoma
Evaluation of involuntary muscular responses with a reflex hammer. Patients under heavy sedation or in a deep coma do not show these reflexes.
deep tendon reflexes (DTR)
A drug that reduces inflammation.
anti-inflammatory
PT
Physical therapy
Movement of a body part around its longitudinal axis—that is, lengthwise. (Imagine doing “the Twist” with your foot.)
rotation
Muscle pain
myalgia or myodynia
Treatment to rehabilitate a patient who has experienced an illness or injury. Common methods include exercise; hydrotherapy (water therapy), shown in Figure 5.22; ultrasound; and diathermy (DIGH-uh-THER-mee), or deep heating of body tissues using a high-frequency electrical current.
physical therapy
A drug prescribed to suppress smooth-muscle contractions of the bladder, stomach, or intestine.
antispasmodic
ROM
range-of-motion therapy
Raising of a body part.
elevation
Genetic disease characterized by progressive muscular weakness and skeletal muscle deterioration
muscular dystrophy (MD)
Incision to the tendon, usually to repair a deformity caused by a shortened muscle.
tenotomy
A drug that relieves pain; includes nonprescription pain relievers, such as aspirin, and prescription pain relievers, such as hydrocodone.
analgesic
PRN
as needed
Movement of a body part away from the midline of the body
abduction
Muscular stiffness/stiff muscle, as in rigor mortis (Latin rigor = “stiffness”; mortis = “of death”). Stiffness that occurs in dead bodies due to chemical changes in the muscles.
rigor or rigidity
A graphic recording of the contraction of a muscle as a result of electrical stimulation
electromyogram(EMG)
A drug that, in moderate doses, slows down the central nervous system, relieves pain, and induces sleep. Taken in excess, narcotics produce unconsciousness, stupor, coma, and possibly death.
narcotic
amb
ambulatory
Rotation of an arm or leg (as if “drawing a circle” with the limb). This type of motion occurs in multiple planes
circumduction
Benign tumor consisting of striated muscle that occurs on or in the smooth muscle of the heart
rhabdomyoma
Most common first-aid treatment for muscular injuries; often referred to as “RICE.”
Rest Ice Compression Elevation (RICE)
A group of drugs with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic (AN-tee-pigh-RET-ik) (fever-reducing) properties. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen are common over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs. This group of drugs is set apart from other drugs that have the same properties because they are nonsteroidal. (Steroidal drugs have narcotic effects and may lead to addiction.)
nonsteroidal(NON-steer-ROY-duhl) anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)
NSAID
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Motion of the plantar surface (sole of the foot) away from the midline of the body
plantarflexion