Cutaneous allodynia


Cutaneous allodynia: Pain resulting from an innocuous stimulus to normal skin or scalp. The stimulus that triggers allodynia is not normally painful. The pain can be provoked by combing or brushing the hair, shaving, showering, wearing glasses or earrings. The pressure of a single strand of hair reportedly can feel like a jab with a white-hot knife. Cutaneous allodynia is believed due to a transient increase in the responsiveness of central pain neurons that process information arising from the skin. It is commonly associated with migraine. From allo- meaning other + -dynia meaning pain.

Read Also:

  • Cutaneous papilloma

    Cutaneous papilloma: A small tag of skin that may have a stalk (a peduncle). Cutaneous papillomas may appear on the skin almost anywhere although the favorite locales are the eyelids, neck, armpits (axillae), upper chest, and groin. Invariably benign, this tiny tumor of the skin usually causes no symptoms unless repeatedly irritated as, for example, […]

  • Cutaneous syndactyly

    Cutaneous syndactyly: A condition in which fingers or toes are joined together and the joining involves only the skin, not the bones.

  • Cutis

    Cutis: The skin. The word cutis is Latin for skin. See also: Cutis anserina; Cutis laxa.

  • Cutis anserina

    Cutis anserina: Better known as goose bumps, a temporary local change in the skin when it becomes rougher due to erection of little muscles, as from cold, fear, or excitement. The chain of events leading to this skin change starts with a stimulus such as cold or fear. That stimulus causes a nerve discharge from […]

  • Cutis laxa

    Cutis laxa: A dermatologic condition characterized by unusually loose skin which may hang in pendulous folds. Cutis laxa is usually a genetic disorder. A mild autosomal dominant form can be caused by mutation in the elastin gene (the ELN gene). Mutations in the gene encoding fibulin-5 (FBLN5) can cause either autosomal dominant or a more […]


Disclaimer: Cutaneous allodynia definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.