Pain Terminology Dictionary


Acupuncture

Oriental practice of inserting needles into the skin at points (Meridians) of the body to help relieve pain and treat illness.

Acute Pain

Sharp or intense short-term pain. Typically follows injury or surgery.

Addiction

Psychological or emotional need for a drug. Associated with cravings and inappropriate efforts to obtain the drug.

Algology

The science and study of pain phenomena.

Allodynia

The sensation of pain triggered by a stimulus to the skin that is normally not painful (e.g., lightly touching a sunburn).

Analgesia

Absence or decreased pain response to stimulation that would normally be painful.

Analgesic

Medicine used to relieve pain.

Anesthesia

Absence or partial loss of sensation.

Anesthetic

An agent (or agents) that reversibly produce anesthesia.

Anti-inflammatory

A medicine that reduces inflammation. Usually related to NSAIDs(Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Arthropathy

Disorder or disease of a joint.

Athralgia

Pain in or affecting a joint.

Causalgia

Intense pain and sensitivity usually following injury to a peripheral nerve.

Central Pain

Pain associated with a lesion or dysfunction of the central nervous system.

Chronic Pain

The opposite of acute pain. Persistent, long-term pain.

Deafferentation Pain

Pain due to the loss of normal sensory input into the central nervous system.

Dermatome

An area of skin supplied by fibers of a single nerve root.

Dysesthesia

An abnormal, unpleasant sensation.

Epidural

An injection into the outer layer of the spinal canal (the epidural space).

Hyperalgesia

Increased sensitivity to pain.

Hyperesthesia

Abnormal, acute sensitivity to sensory stimulation of the skin.

Hypoalgesia

Diminished sensitivity to sensory stimulation of the skin.

Narcotic

Usually refers to opioids–pain-relieving drugs that are derivatives of opium.

Nerve Block

An injection of medication directly into or around a nerve or group of nerves to provide regional pain relief.

Neuralgia

Pain in the distribution of a nerve or nerves and caused by nerve damage or dysfunction.

Neuritis

Inflammation of a nerve or nerves.

Neuropathic Pain

Pain originating from the malfunctioning of the nervous system.

Neuropathy

Disturbance of function or pathologic change in one or more nerves.

Nociceptive

Response to a painful stimulus.

Nociceptor

A sensory nerve receptor that responds to pain.

Opiate or Opiod

A pain-killing drug chemically related to opium.

Pain

An unpleasant feeling that may be associated with disease or trauma.

Pain Threshold

The most minimal stimulation that a person recognizes as painful—this varies from individual to individual.

Pain Tolerance Level

The greatest amount of pain a person can tolerate.

Paresthesia

An abnormal sensation such as tingling or ‘pins and needles’ that may be uncomfortable, but not truly painful.

Radiculitis

Inflammation of a nerve root in the spinal canal.

Radiculopathy

Pain and neurologic deficit caused by injury to a nerve root.

Referred Pain

Pain felt in a body part that is distant from the pain origin. The origin and the body part may share a common nerve pathway.

Rhizotomy

Surgical incision of nerve root(s) within the spinal canal.

Somatosensory

Sensory signals from the body usually referring to signals from the limbs rather than internal organs.

Trigger Point

An area in muscle or connective tissue that is hypersensitive to touch or pressure.