Acupuncture is a method of healing developed in China at least 5,000 years ago. Today, acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.

A chemical substance that is soluble in water, neutralizes acids, and forms salts with them. An alkali has a pH above 7 and turns red litmus paper blue.

A substance that can cause an allergic reaction. Allergens are substances that the immune systems of some people recognize as "foreign" or "dangerous," but which cause no response for most people. 

Common allergens include certain chemicals, plants, drugs (such as antibiotics, serums), foods (such as milk, chocolate, strawberries, wheat), infectious agents (such as bacteria, viruses, animal parasites), inhalants (such as dust, pollen, perfumes, smoke), and physical agents (such as heat, light, friction, radiation).

A tiny, thin-walled, capillary-rich sac in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. Also called air sac.

An aneurysm is a weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel.  It may occur as a congenital defect or may develop later in life as a consequence of other conditions, such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and injury.  An aneurysm resembles a sack of blood attached to one side of the blood vessel by a narrow neck. 

A common complication with aneurysms is rupture.  Rupture creates a medical emergency, especially when the aneurysm is located in the brain or abdomen, because it results in profuse bleeding, and often, in death.  Ruptured aneurysm occurs in approximately 5 out of 10,000 people.

Angina pectoris is chest pain caused by a reduction of the blood flow through the arteries that supply blood to the heart (coronary arteries).  A person who suffers from angina pectoris has coronary arteries that are wide enough to supply blood to the heart during normal activities, but too narrow to deliver sufficient blood and oxygen when extra work is required of the heart.  Chest pain develops when the heart must work harder than normal and the muscle cells that make up the heart do not receive enough oxygen. 

Angina is typically felt as a heavy, squeezing pain in the center of the chest.  The pain may also spread to the neck, jaw, back, and left arm.  An attack of angina typically lasts for several minutes and is often brought on by physical activity, emotional stress, cold weather, or digestion of a heavy meal.  People who suffer from angina pectoris are at a high risk of a heart attack.

Any disorder of heart rate or rhythm.

An aneurysm located in the aorta, the main artery of the body, usually in the section that lies across the abdomen.  An abdominal aortic aneurysm can affect anybody, but it is most often seen in men 40 to 70 years old.  A common complication is rupture.  This is a medical emergency that results in abundant bleeding and, often, death. 

Another consequence is aortic dissection.  This condition occurs when the lining of the artery tears and blood leaks into the wall of the artery.  An aneurysm that dissects is at even greater risk of rupture.

An asthma attack occurs when the bronchial tubes (bronchi and bronchioles) become inflamed, reducing the space through which air can travel through the lungs.  This causes the asthmatic to work harder to move air in and out of the lungs. 

Asthma attacks usually begin with mild chest pressure and a dry cough.  As the attack intensifies, wheezing develops and increases in pitch, breathing becomes difficult, and coughing produces thick, stringy mucus.  As the airway inflammation prevents some of the oxygen-rich air from reaching the alveoli, the cells of the body start to burn oxygen at a higher rate, actually increasing the body's demand for oxygen.  Without treatment, asthma attacks are life-threatening conditions.

Involves the use of essential oils (extracts or essences) from flowers, herbs, and trees to promote health and well-being.

Either of two main branches of the trachea, leading directly to the lungs.

Any of the fine, thin-walled, tubular extensions of a bronchus.

Chronic or acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes.

Chiropractic is a CAM alternative medical system. It focuses on the relationship between bodily structure (primarily that of the spine) and function, and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. Chiropractors use manipulative therapy as an integral treatment tool.

A fatlike steroid alcohol found in animal fats and oils, in bile, blood, brain tissue, milk, yolk of egg, liver, and other body organs.  It constitutes a large part of the most frequently occurring type of gallstones.  It is also the main constituent of the greasy deposits located in arteries of the body called plaque. 

Plaque is the main lesion found in atherosclerosis, the most important cause of death in the United States.  Most of the body's cholesterol is produced in the liver, but some is absorbed from the diet.

The term “Complementary and Alternative Medicine” (CAM) includes a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional, western or allopathic medicine.

A harmful substance or agent, identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, that may injure an exposed organism resulting in adverse effects such as inability to reproduce or altered growth, structural abnormality, functional deficiency or death observed in a developing organism.

Congress defined the term "dietary supplement" in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. A dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) taken by mouth that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. Dietary ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites. Dietary supplements come in many forms, including extracts, concentrates, tablets, capsules, gel caps, liquids, and powders. They have special requirements for labeling. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are considered foods, not drugs.

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs, also called electric and magnetic fields) are invisible lines of force that surround all electrical devices. The Earth also produces EMFs; electric fields are produced when there is thunderstorm activity, and magnetic fields are believed to be produced by electric currents flowing at the Earth's core.

A pathological condition of the lungs marked by an abnormal increase in the size of the air spaces, resulting in labored breathing and an increased susceptibility to infection. It can be caused by irreversible expansion of the alveoli or by the destruction of alveolar walls.

Coronary heart disease is a chronic illness in which the vessels that supply oxygen-carrying blood to the heart (coronary arteries) become narrowed and unable to carry a normal amount of blood.  When its blood supply is reduced, the heart does not receive sufficient oxygen and nutrients. 

Lack of oxygen has two main consequences: chest pain known as angina pectoris, and heart attack.  In a heart attack, part of the heart dies due to oxygen deprivation.

Homeopathic medicine is a CAM alternative medical system. In homeopathic medicine, there is a belief that "like cures like," meaning that small, highly diluted quantities of medicinal substances are given to cure symptoms, when the same substances given at higher or more concentrated doses would actually cause those symptoms.

The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in the body tissues, which may produce no symptoms or result in local cellular injury.  An infection may remain localized and be temporary if the body's defensive mechanisms are effective. 

A local infection may persist and spread by extension to become a symptomatic infection or disease.  A local infection may also become systemic when the microorganism gains access to the vascular (blood) or lymphatic system.

A localized protective response of the body caused by injury or destruction of tissues, which serves to destroy, dilute or wall off both the agent causing the injury (bacteria, virus, fungus, etc.) and the injured tissue.  The following signs characterize inflammation in the acute state: pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function.

A hormone secreted by the pancreas and functioning to help regulate the body’s breakdown of carbohydrates and fats, especially the regulation of  blood sugar level.

A lesion of the soft tissue that consists of a white patch or plaque that cannot be scraped off.

Massage therapists manipulate muscle and connective tissue to enhance function of those tissues and promote relaxation and well-being.

Osteopathic medicine is a form of conventional medicine that, in part, emphasizes diseases arising in the musculoskeletal system. There is an underlying belief that all of the body's systems work together, and disturbances in one system may affect function elsewhere in the body. Some osteopathic physicians practice osteopathic manipulation, a full-body system of hands-on techniques to alleviate pain, restore function, and promote health and well-being.

A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, such as vinegar, or a damp substance, such as soil.

Pharmacopoeia is a book containing an official list of medicinal drugs together with articles on their preparation and use.

Qi gong is a component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement, meditation, and regulation of breathing to enhance the flow of qi (an ancient term given to what is believed to be vital energy) in the body, improve blood circulation, and enhance immune function.

Reiki is a Japanese word representing Universal Life Energy. Reiki is based on the belief that when spiritual energy is channeled through a Reiki practitioner, the patient's spirit is healed, which in turn heals the physical body.

Relative risk is a statistical comparison between two groups of people in a well-defined population.  It's used to determine if a specific risk factor or disease is associated with an increase, decrease, or no change in the disease rate in those populations. 

For example, one group includes those who have been exposed to a disease or risk factor (smokers, for example), including those who acquire the disease (such as cardiovascular disease) over a specified time period and those who don't. This group is compared to a second group, those who haven't been exposed to the disease or risk factor (nonsmokers), including those who acquire the disease (CVD) in the same time period and those who don't.

People who have genetic mutations of the enzyme N-acetyltransferase (NAT2).  This enzyme is known to play a role in the detoxification of aromatic amines, one class of mutagens (chemical substances that increase the risk of genetic mutation) found in tobacco smoke. 

People who are slow-acetylators have a weakened form of the enzyme, which expose them for longer periods of time to the aromatic amines.  Aromatic amines are a well-known cause of cancer.  Women who are slow-acetylators and smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

A sudden loss of brain function caused by a blockage or rupture of a blood vessel to the brain, characterized by loss of muscular control, diminution or loss of sensation or consciousness, dizziness, slurred speech, or other symptoms that vary with the extent and severity of the damage to the brain. Also called cerebral accident or cerebrovascular accident.

A form designed to collect information through a series of closed or open-ended questions.  Administered by survey interview, in person, by mail or phone, or by the interviewee.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the current name for an ancient system of health care from China. TCM is based on a concept of balanced qi (pronounced "chee"), or vital energy, that is believed to flow throughout the body. Qi is proposed to regulate a person's spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Disease is proposed to result from the flow of qi being disrupted and yin and yang becoming imbalanced. Among the components of TCM are herbal and nutritional therapy, restorative physical exercises, meditation, acupuncture, and remedial massage.

Characterized by blood vessels including veins, arteries, and capillaries.