The suffix 'algia' means ____.

• A. Nerve
• B. Inflammation
• C. Swelling
• D. Pain

Answer: (D)

Suffixes in medical terms often indicate the symptom or problem involved. The ending -algia comes from Greek algos, meaning pain, so it signals that the condition is about pain. For example, neuralgia is pain along a nerve, otalgia is ear pain, and cephalalgia is a headache. That’s why this suffix points to pain rather than to nerves, inflammation, or swelling. Other ideas are shown by different endings: nerve-related terms use a root like neur- or neuro-, inflammation is -itis, and swelling is typically described as edema or swelling rather.