Definition

A type of pain that is sharp and severe, occurring along the path of a nerve or group of nerves.

Example

She was diagnosed with neuralgia after experiencing intense pain in her face.

Conversation

Have you ever experienced neuralgia?

No, I haven't, but I've heard it can be really painful.

Yeah, my friend had it and said the pain was unbearable at times.

That sounds awful! I hope they found something to help with it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Neuralgia → It is formed from "neur-" (from Greek "neuron", meaning nerve) and "-algia" (from Greek "algos", meaning pain). The word describes pain that originates from a nerve.

Memory Tip

Think of 'nerve' ('neur-') and 'pain' ('-algia') to remember that neuralgia refers to pain in the nerves.

Visually Confused Words