Medical/Neurosurgical Glossary
- G -

Gait – A pattern of locomotion or a way of walking.

Gamstorp Syndrome – Periodic episodes of weakness related due to hyperkalemia (or high potassium).

Ganglion – A cluster of nerve cells. 

Ganglion Cysts – These are non-cancerous, fluid-filled cysts which are common masses or lumps in the hand.  They are usually found on the back of the wrist.

Gender Dysphoria Syndrome – Psychological problems related to unhappiness over ones sex.  Men, for example, request operations to become women and vise versa.

Genes – The basic, functional units of heredity, each occupies a specific place on a chromosome.

Gerstmann Syndrome – The inability to recognize and use the fingers, differentiate left from right, problems writing and problems calculating, due to angular gyrus damage.

Gibbus – A sharp bend in the spine causing a bump or hump on the back. 

Gluteus Maximus – The large, superficial buttock muscle.

Goeminne Syndrome – A progressive torticollis or twisting of the neck, with facial asymmetry, keloids, kidney problems and heart problems.

Gonstead Technique – A chiropractic system of correcting pelvic and sacral "subluxations" to correct secondary subluxations elsewhere in the spine. The alleged problem areas are located by motion palpation and skin-temperature instrument measurement and "confirmed" with full-spine x-ray examination.

Grading – A process for classifying cancer cells, degenerative processes, or virtually any disease to determine its severity.

Granuloma – A mass of red, irritated tissue in the body and due to inflammation or infection.

Gray Baby Syndrome – A potentially fatal reaction to chloramphenicol in neonates, this is due in part to liver damage.

Gray Sign – Pain caused by pressure applied to the lower abdomen in cases of appendicitis.

Gray Spinal Syndrome – Muscular atrophy, syringomyelia and motor dysfunction all due to abnormalities of the gray matter of the spinal cord.

Gray Matter – The darker-colored tissues of the central nervous system which in the brain include the cerebral cortex, the thalamus, the basal ganglia, and the outer layers of the cerebellum.

Grostic Procedure – This is a chiropractic upper cervical technique that depends upon x-ray examination to measure and detect misalignments between the atlas and the skull. Adjustment can be made with an instrument or be done manually by placing pressure on the side of the neck at the base of the skull.

Guided Imagery – This is a psychological process or technique whose goals include helping to cope with certain health problems.

Guillain-Barré Sign – Plantar flexion and fanning of the toes when the heel is tapped, similar in meaning to Babinski sign.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome – Polyradiculoneuritis, or dysfunction of all of the nerves of the body, includes those that control breathing.  The weakness occurs without numbness.

Guilland Sign – Pinching over the quadriceps causes flexion of the hip and knee due to meningeal irritation (inflammation of the coverings of the spinal cord and nerve roots).

Guyon’s Canal– This is the space between the ligaments and bones of the wrist which holds the ulnar nerve.  When the space is too small, the nerve may be pinched and painful.  It may be helped with splints, injections or surgery.

If you are aware of any useful spine and neuromusculoskeletal terms which are not included in this list, or if you have suggestions for better definitions,  your help would be greatly appreciated.  Please send me any upgrades and I will update the web site appropriately.  Click here to send a comment.