Neuralgia: The History of a Meaning

Abstract

A review is presented of the meaning of neuralgia - from its introduction in 1801, to indicate an affection of one or more nerves causing pain, to its present day use. There was early dispute whether neuralgia required a lesion to be present in the nerve, and whether peripheral branches, nerve roots or the neuraxis was involved. Affections of organs were seen as a cause and the concept was extended to include links with psychological illness. In the last decades of the 19th century and throughout the 20th century, opinion on neuralgia gradually moved closer to the original meaning.