Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.AnalgesiaHow to say it:Analgesia(an-ul-jee-see-ah)What it means: Something that keeps you from feeling pain without putting you to sleep.Where it comes from: From Greek/Latin,analgēsía, “lack of feeling.“Karolina Grabowska/PexelsWhere you might see or hear it:Analgesiais a treatment, like a medication, that prevents you from feeling pain while you are awake (conscious). It’s different from treatments that make you unable to feel pain because they put you to sleep (unconscious), likeanesthesia before a surgery.There are different kinds of analgesic medications that can prevent pain, such as pills, creams, and patches. There are also medications that were not created to treat pain, like antidepressants, but can be helpful (adjuvant analgesics).When you might want to use it: There are many situations where you might want to talk to your provider about analgesia. For example, if you are in an accident and are badly hurt, or you have major surgery, your provider might prescribe you a strong medication that blocks pain.On the other hand, if you have a chronic condition like arthritis that causes less severe pain, your provider might recommend that you try taking an analgesic medication like ibuprofen that you can buy over-the-counter (OTC).Which Analgesics Provide the Most Relief for Arthritis?
Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.
Analgesia
How to say it:Analgesia(an-ul-jee-see-ah)
What it means: Something that keeps you from feeling pain without putting you to sleep.
Where it comes from: From Greek/Latin,analgēsía, “lack of feeling.”
Karolina Grabowska/Pexels
Where you might see or hear it:Analgesiais a treatment, like a medication, that prevents you from feeling pain while you are awake (conscious). It’s different from treatments that make you unable to feel pain because they put you to sleep (unconscious), likeanesthesia before a surgery.
There are different kinds of analgesic medications that can prevent pain, such as pills, creams, and patches. There are also medications that were not created to treat pain, like antidepressants, but can be helpful (adjuvant analgesics).
When you might want to use it: There are many situations where you might want to talk to your provider about analgesia. For example, if you are in an accident and are badly hurt, or you have major surgery, your provider might prescribe you a strong medication that blocks pain.
On the other hand, if you have a chronic condition like arthritis that causes less severe pain, your provider might recommend that you try taking an analgesic medication like ibuprofen that you can buy over-the-counter (OTC).
Which Analgesics Provide the Most Relief for Arthritis?
SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Merriam-Webster.Definition of analgesia.
Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Merriam-Webster.Definition of analgesia.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Merriam-Webster.Definition of analgesia.
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