What does neuritis mean?
Neuritis is inflammation of a nerve or nerves, commonly the peripheral nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. The condition may produce burning or shooting pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, tenderness, and changes in sensation or function. Its effects depend on which nerves are involved: optic neuritis can affect vision, vestibular neuritis can disturb balance, and brachial neuritis can cause pain and weakness in the arm. The word is used mainly in medical contexts and in the names of specific inflammatory nerve disorders. Although people sometimes use neuritis and neuralgia interchangeably, they are not synonyms in a strict medical sense: neuritis indicates nerve inflammation, while neuralgia primarily denotes nerve pain and does not necessarily imply inflammation.
nounInflammation of one or more nerves, often causing pain, tenderness, weakness, numbness, or altered sensation. In modern medical usage, the term most often refers to inflammation affecting peripheral nerves.
- Inflammation of a nerve, especially of the peripheral nerves, producing pain, sensory disturbance, weakness, or loss of function.
- A condition involving widespread or multiple nerve inflammation, traditionally called peripheral neuritis.
"Her doctor suspected optic neuritis after she developed blurred vision and pain when moving her eyes."
"The MRI results were consistent with optic neuritis, an inflammation of the nerve connecting the eye to the brain."
"After several weeks of burning pain and tingling in his hands, he was diagnosed with peripheral neuritis."
The plural is rare and generally appears in medical literature; discussing the condition in the singular is usually more natural.
"The study compared several forms of neuritides affecting the peripheral nerves."
The word names more than pain: neuritis describes inflammation in the nerve itself, with effects that can include weakness, numbness, and vision or balance problems.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How neuritis is actually used
The term is primarily medical and relatively uncommon in general speech. It is often used in specific named conditions, such as optic neuritis, vestibular neuritis, and brachial neuritis; in older usage, it could refer more broadly to nerve inflammation.
Easily confused with neuritis
Neuritis is inflammation of a nerve, whereas neuralgia is nerve pain that may occur without clear evidence of inflammation.