causalgia

(kɔːˈzældʒɪə) n (Pathology) pathol a burning sensation along the course of a peripheral nerve together with local changes in the appearance of the skin[C19: from New Latin, from Greek kausos fever + -algia]

cau•sal•gi•a

(kɔˈzæl dʒi ə, -dʒə)

n. a neuralgia distinguished by a burning pain along certain nerves, usu. of the upper extremities. [1870–75; < Greek kaûs(is) act of burning (see caustic)] cau•sal′gic, adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

causalgia - a burning pain in a limb along the course of a peripheral nerve; usually associated with skin changeshurting, pain - a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder; "the patient developed severe pain and distension"

Translations

Causalgia

causalgia

[kȯ′zal·jē·ə] (medicine) A sensation of burning pain, especially of the palms and soles, which may be of psychic or organic origin.

Causalgia

a painful condition that develops after injury to the extremities, characterized by excruciating, unendurable, intermittently intensifying pains, mostly of a burning nature.

Causalgia results from injury to a nerve trunk (when it is not completely severed) that has an abundance of sympathetic nerve fibers such as the sciatic and tibial nerves in the leg and the median and (less commonly) ulnar nerves in the arm. Between five and ten days after injury, pain arises in the extremity along with marked autonomic disturbances—vascular, secretory and trophic. These changes, like the burning pains, sometimes involve the neck and upper part of the chest, when an arm is affected, and the lower part of the abdomen when a leg is affected. The pains intensify at the slightest movement or light contact with the skin (especially stroking) and are affected by emotional stress, noise, and light. Cooling and constantly wetting the skin usually diminishes the pains.

Causalgia occurs in two forms—ischemic (coldness and pallorof the extremity, trophic disorders) and hyperemic; the latter ismilder and its disorders are less pronounced, and it tends todisappear spontaneously after four or five months. Treatmentinvolves the injection of novocain or alcohol into the area of theaffected nerve trunk or of the ganglion-blocking substances intothe sympathetic ganglia. Physical therapy may be helpful (elec-trophoresis with novocain, X-ray therapy). Surgery is indicated(freeing the nerve from scars) if more conservative treatmentfails.[H-1604–4]

causalgia

[kaw-zal´jah] a burning pain often associated with trophic skin changes in the hand or foot, caused by peripheral nerve injury. It may be aggravated by the slightest stimuli or it may be intensified by the emotions. It usually begins several weeks after the initial injury and the pain is described as intense, with patients sometimes taking elaborate precautions to avoid any stimulus that they know could cause a flare-up of symptoms. They often will go to great extremes to protect the affected limb and become preoccupied with such protection.
Any of a variety of injuries to the hand, foot, arm, or leg can lead to causalgia, but in most cases there has been some injury to the median nerve or sciatic nerve. Injections of a local anesthetic at the painful site may bring relief. Sympathectomy may be necessary to eliminate the severe pain, and in the majority of cases it is quite successful. Psychotherapy may be necessary when emotional instability is suspected. Emotional problems may result from the intense suffering characteristic of severe causalgia. dystrophy" >Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (also called chronic regional pain syndrome) is a variant of causalgia.

complex regional pain syndrome type I

diffuse persistent pain usually in an extremity often associated with vasomotor disturbances, trophic changes, and limitation or immobility of joints; frequently follows some local injury. Synonym(s): causalgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, shoulder-hand syndrome, sympathetic reflex dystrophy

reflex sympathetic dystrophy

Neurology
Persistent pain of an extremity after prolonged autonomic nervous system stimulation.

Clinical findings
Dysaesthesia, pain, swelling of an extremity with trophic skin changes, hypertrichosis, osteoporosis.

Aetiology
Acute MI, cervical osteoporosis, CVAs, nerve injury, neurologic events, surgery, trauma.
Management
Sympathetic block with local anaesthetics.

Sports medicine
An exaggerated response of the sympathetic nervous system to minor trauma, especially if superimposed on healing injuries.

Clinical findings
Severe, recurrent, chronic pain, affecting an entire extremity; swelling, stiffness and discolouration.
Pathogenesis
Uncertain, possibly mental stress.

Prognosis
Inactivity and inadequate therapy result in muscle atrophy, demineralisation and contractures.

causalgia

Caulsalgia syndrome Pain medicine A sensation of persistent severe burning pain of either organic–direct or indirect trauma to a sensory nerve, accompanied by trophic changes–or psychologic origin. See Headache, Somatiform disorder.

cau·sal·gi·a

(kaw-zal'jē-ă) Persistent severe burning sensation, usually following partial injury of a peripheral nerve, accompanied by trophic changes (thinning of skin, loss of sweat glands and hair follicles). [G. kausis, burning, + algos, pain]

causalgia

Severe and persistent burning pain in a limb caused by partial damage to a nerve trunk, usually from physical injury. The injured nerve spontaneously generates impulses which are interpreted by the brain as pain.

Causalgia

A severe burning sensation sometimes accompanied by redness and inflammation of the skin. Causalgia is caused by injury to a nerve outside the spinal cord.Mentioned in: Sympathectomy

causalgia

causalgia

cau•sal•gi•a

Causalgia

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Causalgia

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complex regional pain syndrome type I

reflex sympathetic dystrophy

causalgia

cau·sal·gi·a

causalgia

Causalgia

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Words related to causalgia

noun a burning pain in a limb along the course of a peripheral nerve

Related Words