dysaesthesia
|dys-aes-the-si-a|
🇺🇸
/ˌdɪsɛsˈθiːziə/
🇬🇧
/ˌdɪs.əsˈθiːzjə/
bad/abnormal sensation (often unpleasant)
Etymology
'dysaesthesia' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'dys-' and 'aisthesis', where 'dys-' meant 'bad' or 'difficult' and 'aisthesis' meant 'sensation' or 'perception'.
'aisthesis' (Greek) contributed to Latin/medical formation 'aesthesia' (or 'æsthesia'/'aesthesia' in English). The prefix 'dys-' was attached to form the medical term 'dysaesthesia' in modern medical Latin/English. A later orthographic simplification produced the American variant 'dysesthesia' by dropping the 'ae'.
Initially formed to denote an impaired or abnormal sense or perception ('bad sensation'), it has become a clinical term referring more specifically to unpleasant or distorted sensations often associated with nerve damage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an abnormal, often unpleasant sensation (such as burning, tingling, electric-shock feelings or pain) typically caused by nerve damage or dysfunction.
The patient complained of dysaesthesia in his fingertips after the nerve injury.
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Noun 2
a distorted or altered sense of touch (broader usage that may include unpleasant or simply abnormal perceptions).
Chemotherapy can produce peripheral dysaesthesia, causing patients to feel odd sensations in their feet.
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Last updated: 2025/12/28 23:52