A medical instrument used to measure the intensity or threshold of pain in patients, typically by applying pressure or temperature.
From Greek algos (pain) + -metron (measure). Developed in the late 19th century as researchers sought objective tools to quantify pain rather than relying solely on patient descriptions.
Algometers try to turn something subjective (how much does it hurt?) into something objective (exactly how much pressure triggers pain)—a fundamentally tricky problem because pain isn't purely physical.
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