| diffuse oesophageal spasm | A disorder characterised by episodic contractions of the oesophagus. The oesophageal spasms fail to effectively propel food to the stomach. Symptoms may be confused with angina. Common symptoms include chest pains, epigastric pain, heartburn, pain on swallowing and difficulty swallowing. Treatment includes the use of sublingual nitroglycerin and calcium channel blockers. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| oesophageal spasm, diffuse | A motor disorder of the oesophagus characterised by chest pain and dysphagia. Pathogenesis is unclear. Strong, nonpropulsive contractions of the oesophagus evoked by deglutition occur, especially in the elderly. (12 Dec 1998) |
| supra-esophageal | <botany> Situated above, or on the dorsal side of, the oesophagus; as, the supra-esophageal ganglion of Crustacea. Alternative forms: supra-oesophagal, and supra-oesophageal. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| esophageal | <anatomy> Pertaining to the oesophagus. Alternative forms: sophageal. (01 Mar 1998) |
| anorectal spasm | Painful spasm of the muscle about the anus without known cause; probably a neurosis. Synonym: anorectal spasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bell's spasm | Involuntary twitching of the facial muscles, sometimes unilateral. Synonym: Bell's spasm, convulsive tic, facial spasm, histrionic spasm, mimic convulsion, mimic spasm, mimic tic, palmus, prosopospasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bronchial spasm | Spasmodic contraction of the smooth muscle of the bronchi. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cadaveric spasm | Rigor mortis occurring irregularly in the different muscles, causing movements of the limbs. (05 Mar 2000) |
| canine spasm | The semblance of a grin caused by facial spasm especially in tetanus. Synonym: canine spasm, cynic spasm, risus sardonicus, sardonic grin, spasmus caninus, trismus sardonicus. Origin: L. Risus, laugh + caninus, doglike (05 Mar 2000) |
| vasomotor spasm | Spasmodic contraction of the smaller arteries. (05 Mar 2000) |
| carpopedal spasm | <clinical sign> Spasms of the hands or feet that may be seen in association with hypocalcaemia or hyperventilation. (08 Jan 1998) |
| masticatory spasm | Involuntary convulsive muscular contraction affecting the muscles of mastication. (05 Mar 2000) |
| retrocollic spasm | Torticollis in which the spasm affects the posterior neck muscles. Synonym: retrocollis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rotatory spasm | A disorder of unknown cause, manifested as a restricted dystonia, localised to some of the neck muscles, especially the sternomastoid and trapezius; occurs in adults and tends to progress slowly; the head movements increase with standing and walking and decrease with contractual stimuli, e.g., touching the chin or neck. Synonym: dystonic torticollis, rotatory spasm, rotatory tic. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phonic spasm | A spasmodic contraction of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx excited by attempted phonation, producing either adductor or abductor subtypes caused by central nervous system disease. A localised form of movement disorder. Synonym: phonic spasm, spastic dysphonia. (05 Mar 2000) |