Someone who has allodynia feels pain from non-painful stimuli. For example, a person may feel pain from a light touch or when brushing their hair.

Allodynia can be a symptom of several different nerve conditions, or it can occur on its own.

Allodynia is not the same thing as an increased response to painful stimuli.

Some people feel extreme pain from something minor, such as a paper cut. Feeling increased pain or being hypersensitive to mild pain is called hyperalgesia.

Individuals with allodynia, however, feel pain when something is ordinarily painless.