Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Algophobia
Introduction
Background
Background
Algophobia is a phobia of pain – an abnormal and persistent fear of pain that is far more powerful than that of a normal person. [1] Algophobia is a self-destructive or cycling phobia. A person suffering from algophobia will feel psychological pain from the phobia, which again triggers the phobia and causes more pain, and so on in a destructive cycle. The fear is excessive, beyond that which is expected under the circumstances, producing an anxiety reaction.
Symptoms
Symptoms
Algophobia can result in various symptoms including breathlessness, dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly, a fear of dying, anger or losing control, a sensation of detachment from reality or a full blown anxiety attack.
References
References
- ↑ Casselman, William (1998). A Dictionary of Medical Derivations: The Real Meaning of Medical Words. The Parthenon Publishing Group. pp. p. 20. ISBN 1-85070-771-5.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]