The Mickel Therapy Clinic, Auckland, Mickel Therapy - Effective Treatment for Fibromyalgia
Glossary of Medical Conditions and Terms
Description of medical terms and conditions
Addisons Disease
Addison's Disease, also known as chronic adrenal insufficiency or hypocortisolism, is an endocrine disorder where the adrenal glands do not produce enough steroid hormones.
Allodynia
A heightened and painful response to pressure. A painful response to a usually non-painful stimulus. It may include sensations such as burning, itching, twitching, and pins and needles.
Adrenal Glands
Star-shaped endocrine glands which sit on top of the kidneys. Responsible for regulating the stress (fight-flight) response in the body through the synthesis of hormones including cortisol and adrenoline.
Autonomic Nervous System - Stress and Relaxation
The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), part of the Autonomic Nervous Response, becomes active during times of stress. It's also known as the 'fight-flight' response. Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats, whether actual or imagined. It indicates a state of alarm wherebye the body produces adrenoline as a coping mechanism. Common stress symptoms include irritability, muscular tension, inability to concentrate and a variety of physical reactions, such as headaches and elevated heart rate.
Borrelia
A genus of bacteria of the spirochete phylum. See Lyme Disease below.
Candida
Candida Albicans is a form of yeast or fungus which lives in the human mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Under normal circumstances, C. albicans lives in 80% of the human population with no harmful effects, although overgrowth results in candidiasis, which is also known as "thrush".
Celiac disease
An auto-immune disorder of the small intestine, with a range of symptoms including diarrhoea, pain and fatigue. Many sufferers find themselves gluten-intolerant, a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye.
Cortisol
A corticosteroid hormone produced by the Adrenal Cortex of the Adrenal Glands. Often referred to as the stress hormone.
Dysesthesi
Abnormal sensations such as burning, itching, twitching, and pins and needles.
Endocrine Glands
The Endocrine glands are glands that secrete hormones directly into the blood. The main endocrine glands in the brain are the hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal glands. The thyroid gland is found in the throat, the thymus in the chest, the adrenals on top of the kidneys, the pancreas in the abdomen, and the ovaries or testes in the lower abdomen.
Epstein Barr infection
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) also known as 'Human Herpesvirus 4' (HHV-4). A virus of the herpes family. Commonly causes symptoms known as glandular fever (known as infectious mononucleosis).
Fascia
Fascia (from the latin 'band') is the soft tissue component of the connective tissue that interpenetrates and surrounds all muscles, bones, organs, nerves and blood vessels in the body. It is a three-dimensional web of tissue that covers the body from head to toe directly under the skin. It defines the structure and form of the body, so much so that it is said that if you were to take all your bones out of the body, you would still be recognisable! It also provides support and protection, and acts as a shock absorber.
Fibromyalgia
new lat., fibro-, fibrous tissue, Gk. myo-, muscle, Gk. algos-, pain
Meaning: Muscle and Connective Tissue Pain.
Glandular Fever
Also known as Infectious mononucleosis, an infectious viral disease caused by Epstein-Barr virus. The condition is characterized by fever, sore throat and fatigue.
Homeostasis
The property of a system that regulates its internal environment so that it can maintain a stable, constant condition.
Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is a part of the brain with a variety of functions and is roughly the size of an almond. One of its most important functions is to link the nervous system with the endocrine system, via the pituitary gland. It is also responsible for several metabolic processes and activities of the autonomic nervous system. It controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue and circadian rythmns. More detail about the Hypothalamus
Hypothalamitis
Hypothalamitis is a hypothesis by Dr David Mickel, founder of Mickel Therapy. He sees Hypothalamitis as a dysfunction of the Hypothalamus gland. Dr Mickel hopes that the result of his current Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial will show this and make the treatment available to all Fibromyalgia sufferers. Dr Mickel’s book on the subject explains the symptoms of Fibromyalgia in these terms. More detail about the Hypothalamitis
Infectious mononucleosis
Also known as Glandula Fever, an infectious viral disease caused by Epstein-Barr virus. The condition is characterized by fever, sore throat and fatigue.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Also known as spastic colon, IBS or is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal discomfort, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and irregular bowel habits.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by bacteria belonging to the Borrelia family. The disease is named after the village of Lyme in Connecticut, USA, where a number of cases were identified in 1975.
Meridians
Energy pathways in the body according to traditional Chinese medical theory, through which life force flows.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.)
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: 'myalgic' refers to painful muscles and 'encephalomyelitis' refers to inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It is commonly used as another term to describe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Quantum Theory
Quantum mechanics (QM) is a set of principles describing physical reality at the atomic level (molecules and atoms) and the subatomic level (electrons, protons and particles) of matter. Quantum theory has revealed that matter exhibits a wave-like and particle-like behaviour simultaneously, in other words, matter is not as solid as we thought it was.
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