What does neuralgia mean?
Neuralgia is a medical term for severe pain that follows the course of a nerve. The pain is commonly described as stabbing, shooting, burning, or electric, and it may occur in a single episode or recur. Facial neuralgia is particularly associated with trigeminal neuralgia, one of the best-known forms. Although the word can refer broadly to nerve pain, it is often used in the names of specific conditions or when describing pain affecting a particular nerve. The term is formal and mainly used in medical and clinical contexts. It is distinct from neuritis, which names inflammation of a nerve, though inflammation and neuralgic pain can occur together. Neuralgia combines the Greek roots neuron, meaning “nerve,” and algia, meaning “pain,” accurately reflecting its specialized clinical meaning.
nounNeuralgia is severe pain occurring along the course of a nerve, often as a stabbing, burning, or shooting sensation. The term is commonly used for specific conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia, which affects the facial nerves.
- Severe pain occurring along a nerve, often described as stabbing, shooting, or burning.
"The patient was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia after experiencing sudden, intense bursts of facial pain."
"She suffered recurrent neuralgia in her lower back."
"Cold weather triggered his facial neuralgia."
Plural is used when referring to separate cases or types of neuralgia; it is less common in ordinary usage than the singular.
"The clinic specializes in the treatment of facial neuralgias."
Neuralgia takes its name from the Greek words for “nerve” and “pain,” a fitting label for pain that seems to travel along a nerve’s path.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does neuralgia come from?
Neuralgia was formed in the early 19th century from Greek neuron, meaning “nerve,” and the suffix -algia, meaning “pain.” Its components reflect the word's original medical sense: pain associated with a nerve. The same Greek foundations appear in related words such as neural, neuritis, neurology, and analgesia.
Related word forms
How neuralgia is actually used
Neuralgia is primarily a medical term and is usually used for a specific painful nerve condition, especially when naming a particular site. It is not a general synonym for every kind of pain.
Easily confused with neuralgia
Neuritis is inflammation of a nerve, whereas neuralgia primarily describes severe pain along a nerve; a person may have both.