Clinical Diagnosis · Nervous System · Hard
Hyperalgesia
Meaning: An exaggerated pain response to a normally painful stimulus.
In practice: A pinprick feels far sharper than expected over an area of nerve damage or inflammation.
Word parts
- hyper- means above or more than normal
Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.
Quick check
Two questions on related clinical diagnosis words.
Which word means: Infection of the skin fold surrounding a fingernail or toenail.
Answer: Paronychia
Which word means: Abnormally heightened sensitivity to everyday sounds.
Answer: Hyperacusis
Words like hyperalgesia come up in the daily game
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