Encephalalgia

/ˌɛnsɛfəˈlældʒə/ noun

Definition

A severe headache or pain in the brain and surrounding tissues.

Etymology

From Greek enkephalos (brain) + algos (pain), combining two Greek roots to create a medical term describing brain-related pain.

Kelly Says

Before we had the word 'migraine,' doctors used 'encephalalgia' to describe any serious headache—it's a reminder that ancient physicians were trying to locate pain in specific body parts when they had no technology to see inside.

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