Archives: Vocabulary

Sciatica (; sciatic neuritis, sciatic neuralgia, or lumbar radiculopathy) is a set of symptoms including pain caused by general compression or irritation of one of five spinal nerve roots of each sciatic nerve—or by compression or irritation of the left or right or both sciatic nerves. Symptoms include lower back pain, buttock pain, and numbness, …

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Back pain is pain felt in the back that usually originates from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine. However, internal structures such as the gallbladder and pancreas may also refer pain to the back. Most back pain is felt in the lower back. The remainder of this article considers back …

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Neuralgia (Greek neuron, “nerve” + algos, “pain”) is pain in the distribution of a nerve or nerves, as in intercostal neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, and glossopharyngeal neuralgia.

Neuropathic pain is a localized sensation of unpleasant discomfort caused by damage or disease that affects the somatosensory system. The IASP’s widely used definition of pain states: “Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.” Neuropathic pain may be associated with …

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Anti-inflammatory or antiinflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs make up about half of analgesics, remedying pain by reducing inflammation as opposed to opioids, which affect the central nervous system.