An abnormal or pathological increase in sensitivity to sensory stimuli. This is most often due to neuralgia, often arising from damage to the brain (cerebral hyperaesthesia), or the spine. While there are many different types, hyperaesthesia is usually used to refer to increased sensitivity to pain.

There are many specific terms used to refer to hyperaesthesia involving different senses. Here is a partial list:

Hearing = hyperaesthesia acustica, acoustic hyperaesthesia, or hyperacusia.

Taste = gustatory hyperaesthesia or hypergeusia

Smell = hyperaesthesia olfactoria, olfactory hyperaesthesia, or hyperosmia

Sight = hyperaesthesia optica (sensitivity to light).

Touch = tactile hyperaesthesia, hyperaphia, or hyperpselaphesia. Often experienced as pain when touching things.

Heat = hyperthermalgesia (takes the form of pain); hyperthermoesthesia (need not take the form of pain).

Sensitivity of the muscles to pressure = muscular hyperaesthesia, or hypermyesthesia.

Hy`per*aes*the"si*a (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. over + sense, perception.] Med. & Physiol.

A state of exalted or morbidly increased sensibility of the body, or of a part of it.

-- Hy`per*aes*thet"ic (#), a.

 

© Webster 1913.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.