Physician-Patient Partnership Toolkit: Glossary

Common terms used within the context of opioids, opioid use and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD).

Adherence

Following a medical regimen or schedule correctly and consistently, including taking medicines or following a
diet.
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Analgesia

Absence of pain in response to stimulation which would normally be painful.
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Analgesics

Pain-relieving medications including over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and prescription medicines like opioids.
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Anesthetic

A drug or substance that causes a loss of feeling or awareness. Local anesthetics cause a loss of feeling in one small area of the body. Regional anesthetics affect a larger part of the body, such as an arm or leg. General anesthetics cause a loss of feeling and a complete loss of awareness that feels like a very deep sleep
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Anxiety

Feelings of fear, dread, and uneasiness that may occur as a reaction to stress. An anxious person may sweat, feel restless and tense, and have a rapid heartbeat. Extreme anxiety that happens often over time may indicate an anxiety disorder.
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Acute Pain
Acute pain lasts less than three months. It may result from physical injury, for example a burn or cut.
Reference link: AFMC UGME Module “Pathophysiology of Pain”

Allodynia

Pain due to a stimulus that does not normally provoke pain. For example, stroking the skin lightly with clothes or cotton wool producing pain.
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Antidepressants 

Antidepressants are drugs primarily used in the treatment of depression symptoms. Some antidepressants can also be used to manage neuropathic pain.
Reference link: AFMC UGME Module “Core Concept in the Management of Pain”

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) 

CBT is a psychological treatment that can help manage chronic pain. The basic principle of CBT is that feelings, thoughts, and behaviours influence each other. A feeling (e.g. pain) cannot be targeted directly, but thoughts and behaviours can be modified. Changing thoughts and behaviours may stimulate or affect the feeling.
Reference link: AFMC UGME Module “Core Concept in the Management of Pain”

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain continues for three or more months. Chronic pain is considered to be a disease in and of itself.
Reference link: AFMC UGME Module “Pathophysiology of Pain”

Hyperalgesia

The perception of a stimulus as more painful than normal.
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Neuropathic pain

Pain from disturbance of nerves, or when your nervous system is damaged or not working correctly.
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Nociceptive Pain

Pain resulting from an injury or disease outside the nervous system. Reference link: View

Nociplastic Pain

Pain that arises from altered perception of pain despite no clear evidence of actual or threatened tissue damage
Reference link: AFMC UGME Module “Pathophysiology of Pain”

Opioids

Opioids are derived from the opium poppy or are closely chemically related to it. They are used primarily to treat pain. Opioids can also induce euphoria (feeling high), which could result in improper use
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Opioid Toxicity

The result of taking more opioids than prescribed or that your body can handle (also referred to as “overdose”).

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Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)

Opioid use disorder is a troublesome pattern of opioid use leading to distress. Opioid Use disorder is a recognized medical diagnosis.
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Osteoarthritis

The degenerative change of a joint, which makes it less able to withstand stresses and strains, causing pain and change to the shape of the joint.
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Overdose

An overdose is too much of a drug at one time, such that it is harmful. An opioid overdose slows breathing, which can lead to unconsciousness and even death.
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Paresthesia

An abnormal sensation (such as burning or prickling), whether spontaneous or evoked.
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Pain

Pain is an unpleasant physical and emotional experience associated with actual or potential damage to your body. Pain can be a warning of potential damage but can also be present when no actual harm is being done to the body.
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Pain management

Pain management is a plan or approach to help people who experience pain feel better and improve their quality of life. Pain management approaches include medications, self-help, lifestyle changes, counseling and therapy, and exercise
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Pain scale

A pain scale is a way to measure pain that helps healthcare providers track how well a pain treatment plan is working. A pain scale enables healthcare providers to in identify an increase or decrease in pain. Most pain scales use numbers from 0 to 10. A score of 0 means no pain, and 10 means the worst pain ever experienced. There are different scales that can be used based on age, language, or cognitive abilities.
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Side effect

A problem that occurs when treatment affects healthy tissues or organs.
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Sciatica

Sciatica is pain along the length of the sciatic nerve down the back of the thigh, through the calf and into the foot. It is sometimes used more loosely to describe any leg pain.
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Sleep disorder

A disturbance of normal sleep patterns. Sleep disorders range from trouble falling asleep, to nightmares, sleepwalking, and sleep apnea (problems with breathing when sleeping.) Poor sleep may be caused by pain and diseases such as heart disease, lung disease, or nerve disorders.
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Substance use disorder 

Substance use disorder is a cluster of mental, behavioral, and physical symptoms indicating that a person continues using a substance despite significant substance-related problems.
Reference link: AFMC UGME Module “The Public Health Perspective”

Tapering

In the context of the AFMC’s opioid task force, tapering means to reduce opioid dosage over time. If a healthcare provider thinks the risks of opioids outweigh the benefits, they may recommend tapering. A slow taper can prevent or treat symptoms of withdrawal. Reference link: View View.Patients may also request to taper their opioids in collaboration with their healthcare provider.
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Tolerance

A state in which the dose of a drug must be increased to get the same effect as was produced by the original drug dose. Tolerance is largely due to the body’s adaptations to continued exposure to the drug.
Reference link: AFMC UGME Module “The Public Health Perspective”

Withdrawal 

Symptoms caused by discontinuing or rapidly stopping use of a drug that had been taken regularly.
Reference link: AFMC UGME Module “The Public Health Perspective”