| tetanic | 1. <physiology> Of or pertaining to tetanus; having the character of tetanus; as, a tetanic state; tetanic contraction. "This condition of muscle, this fusion of a number of simple spasms into an apparently smooth, continuous effort, is known as tetanus, or tetanic contraction." (Foster) 2. <medicine> Producing, or tending to produce, tetanus, or tonic contraction of the muscles; as, a tetanic remedy. See Tetanic. Origin: Cf. L. Tetanicus suffering from tetanus, Gr, F. Tetanique. <medicine> A substance (notably nux vomica, strychnine, and brucine) which, either as a remedy or a poison, acts primarily on the spinal cord, and which, when taken in comparatively large quantity, produces tetanic spasms or convulsions. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| tetanic convulsion | A convulsion in which muscle contraction is sustained. Synonym: tetanic convulsion, tonic seizure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 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) |
| mimic spasm | <neurology> A repetitive spasmodic movement of the eyes or facial muscles. May also involve the neck or shoulders. Tics are most common in children. The cause is unknown but may be linked to stress. Tics are more common in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disease. Most tics require no treatment and resolve on their own with patient education. (12 Jan 1998) |
| clonic spasm | Alternate involuntary contraction and relaxation of a muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |