Algeoscopy:
Physical examination by pressure, to ascertain whether such pressure produces
pain, often used in neurological examinations.
Algesic:
Painful
Algology:
The science and study of pain phenomena.
Algophobia:
Morbid dread of experiencing or witnessing pain.
Algospasm:
Painful spasm or cramps.
Allodynia:
Pain due to a stimulus that does not normally provoke pain.
Analgesia:
Absence of pain in response to stimulation that would normally be painful.
Analgesic:
An agent that produces analgesia.
Anesthesia Dolorosa: Pain in an area or region that is anesthetic.
Anesthesia:
Absence of all sensory modalities.
Anesthetic:
An agent that produces anesthesia.
Angina:
Feeling of oppression or tightness.
Arthralgia:
Pain in a joint, usually due to arthritis or arthropathy.
Causalgia: A
syndrome of sustained burning pain, allodynia, and hyperpathia after a
traumatic nerve lesion, often combined with vasomotor and sudomotor dysfunction
and later trophic changes.
Central Pain:
Pain associated with a lesion of the central nervous system.
Deafferentiation Pain: Pain due to loss of sensory input into the central nervous
system, as occurs with avulsion of the brachial plexus or other types of
lesions of the peripheral nerves or due to pathology of the central nervous
system.
Dermatome:
The sensory segmental supply to the skin and sudcutaneous tissue.
Dysesthesia:
An unpleasant abnormal sensation, whether spontaneous or evoked.
Hyperalgesia:
An increased response to a stimulus that is normally painful.
Hyperesthesia:
Increased sensitivity to stimulation, excluding special senses.
Hyperpathia:
A painful syndrome, characterized by increased reaction to a stimulus,
especially a repetitive stimulus, as well as an increased threshold.
Hypesthesia:
Hypoesthesia
Hypoalgesia:
Diminished sensitivity to noxious stimulation.
Hypoesthesia:
Diminished sensitivity to stimulation, excluding special senses.
Mononeuropathy: Weakness in muscles all innervated
by the same nerve.Ý Appropriate reflex
changes.Ý Sensory deficit in peripheral
nerve pattern.
Mononeuritis Multiplex: Lesion of 2 or more non-contiguous
nerves (e.g. right radial neuropathy, left peroneal neuropathy)
Neuralgia:
Pain in distribution of nerve or nerves.
Neuritis:
Inflammation of a nerve or nerves.
Neuropathy:
A disturbance of function or pathologic change in a nerve; in one nerve,
mononeuropathy; in several nerves, mononeuropathy multiplex; if symmetrical and
bilateral, polyneuropathy.
Nociceptor:
A receptor preferentially sensitive to a noxious stimulation or to a stimulus
that would become noxious if prolonged.
Noxious Stimulus: A noxious stimulus is one that is potentially or actually damaging to
the body tissue.
Pain Tolerance Level: The greatest level of pain that a subject is prepared to
tolerate.
Pain Threshold: The least experience of pain that a subject can recognize.
Paresthesia:
An abnormal sensation, whether spontaneous or evoked.
Polyneuropathy: Involvement of many nerves.Ý Can be sensory, motor or both.Ý Can be symmetric or asymmetric.Ý Usually distal, can be proximal.
Radiculalgia:
Pain along the distribution of one or more sensory nerve roots.
Radiculitis:
Inflammation of one or more nerve roots.
Radiculopathy:
A disturbance of function or pathologic change in one or more nerve roots.
Weakness in 2 or more muscles of same myotome, different intermediate nerves,
with normal adjacent myotomes.Ý Reflex
changes in appropriate myotome.Ý Sensory
deficit in appropriate dermatome.
Somatic:
Input from body tissue other than viscera.
Thermanesthesia: Absence of temperature sensibility modalities.
Thermhyperesthesia: Increased sensitivity to temperature stimulation, excluding special
senses.
Thermhypoesthesia: Diminished sensitivity to a thermal stimulation, excluding special
senses.
Trichoanesthesia: Loss of hair sensibility.
Trigger point:
A hypersensitive area or site in muscle or connective tissue usually associated
with myofacial pain syndrome.