Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.IntractableHow to say it:Intractable(in-track-ta-bull)What it means: Not easy to fix, cure, or relieve.Where it comes from: From Latin,intractabilis, “unmanagable"Tima Miroshnichenko/PexelsWhere you might see or hear it: If you have pain that does not get better when you take medicine or with other treatments, your doctor might refer to it as being “intractable” because the word means “not easy to relieve.“Some conditions, like epilepsy andmigraines, are called intractable when the treatments that usually help do not work.For example, someone with intractable epilepsy may continue to have seizures because thetreatmentis not enough to stop them.When you might want to use it: If you have an acute condition, like agallbladder attack, you might be in a lot of pain that does not get better no matter what you do.If you go to the emergency room, the provider you see might note that your pain is “intractable” because even when they give you medication, you still are hurting. In this case, you might not feel better until you have yourgallbladder taken out.What Does It Mean If Epilepsy Is Intractable?
Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.
Intractable
How to say it:Intractable(in-track-ta-bull)
What it means: Not easy to fix, cure, or relieve.
Where it comes from: From Latin,intractabilis, “unmanagable”
Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels
Where you might see or hear it: If you have pain that does not get better when you take medicine or with other treatments, your doctor might refer to it as being “intractable” because the word means “not easy to relieve.”
Some conditions, like epilepsy andmigraines, are called intractable when the treatments that usually help do not work.For example, someone with intractable epilepsy may continue to have seizures because thetreatmentis not enough to stop them.
When you might want to use it: If you have an acute condition, like agallbladder attack, you might be in a lot of pain that does not get better no matter what you do.
If you go to the emergency room, the provider you see might note that your pain is “intractable” because even when they give you medication, you still are hurting. In this case, you might not feel better until you have yourgallbladder taken out.
What Does It Mean If Epilepsy Is Intractable?
5 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 intractable.Etymology Online.Definition of intractable.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Status epilepticus.National Headache Foundation.Intractable migraine.Zakko SF.Patient education: Gallstones (beyond the basics).
5 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 intractable.Etymology Online.Definition of intractable.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Status epilepticus.National Headache Foundation.Intractable migraine.Zakko SF.Patient education: Gallstones (beyond the basics).
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 intractable.Etymology Online.Definition of intractable.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Status epilepticus.National Headache Foundation.Intractable migraine.Zakko SF.Patient education: Gallstones (beyond the basics).
Merriam-Webster.Definition of intractable.
Etymology Online.Definition of intractable.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Status epilepticus.
National Headache Foundation.Intractable migraine.
Zakko SF.Patient education: Gallstones (beyond the basics).
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