| spasmology | Study of the nature, causation, and means of relief of spasms. Origin: spasmo-+ G. Logos, study (05 Mar 2000) |
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| spasmolygmus | 1. Spasmodic sobbing. 2. Spasmodic hiccup. Origin: spasmo-+ G. Lygmos, a sobbing, hiccup, fr. Lyzo, to hiccup, sob (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmolysis | The arrest of a spasm or convulsion. Origin: spasmo-+ G. Lysis, dissolution (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmolytic | <pharmacology> Checking spasms, antispasmodic. Origin: Gr. Lysis = dissolution (05 Jan 1998) |
| spasmoneme | <cell biology> Contractile organelle found in Vorticella and related ciliate protozoans. Capable of shortening faster than any actin myosin system and of expanding actively. See: spasmin. (18 Nov 1997) |
| spasmophilia | Synonym: latent tetany. Origin: spasmo-+ G. Phileo, to love (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmophilic | Relating to spasmophilia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmophilic diathesis | A condition in which there is an abnormal excitability of the motor nerves, shown by a tendency to tetany, laryngeal spasm, or general convulsions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasms, infantile | Primary generalised epileptic seizures occurring in infants between birth and twelve months of age consisting of brief synchronous contractions of the neck, torso, and both arms. These seizures often occur in infants with underlying neurologic diseases. The prognosis for these infants is grave, with approximately ninety percent developing mental retardation in addition to their seizures. The eeg has a typical hypsarrhythmia pattern. The spasms and hypsarrhythmia have a tendency to disappear over the first three to five years of life, only to be replaced by other forms of generalised seizures. Infantile spasms sometimes respond to valproic acid or acth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| spasmus | Synonym: spasm. Origin: L. Fr. G. Spasmos, spasm (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmus caninus | 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) |
| spasmus coordinatus | Compulsive movements, such as imitative or mimic tics, festination, etc. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmus glottidis | A spasmodic closure of the glottis, lasting a few seconds, followed by a noisy inspiration. Compare: laryngitis stridulosa. Synonym: pseudocroup, spasmus glottidis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmus nictitans | Involuntary spasmodic winking. Synonym: spasmus nictitans, winking spasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spasmus nutans | A fine nystagmus, sometimes rotary, sometimes monocular, associated with head-nodding movements. Synonym: nodding spasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| muscle spasm | <physiology> Painful involuntary muscle contractions. Often seen in skeletal muscle after acute injury (muscle strain). (07 Apr 1998) |
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| coronary artery spasm | A sudden vasoconstriction of a coronary artery depriving the myocardium of blood flow and oxygen. This may clinically manifest as chest pain referred to as variant angina or Printzmetal's angina. May be precipitated by emotional stress, medications, street drugs (cocaine) or on exposure to cold. Treatment includes nitroglycerin or beta-blocker medications. (27 Sep 1997) |
| habit spasm | <clinical sign> An involuntary compulsive, repetitive, stereotyped movement, resembling a purposeful movement because it is coordinated and involves muscles in their normal synergistic relationships, tics usually involve the face and shoulders. (18 Nov 1997) |
| cynic 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) |
| salaam spasm | In infants, a drop of the head on the chest due to loss of tone in the neck muscles as in epilepsia nutans, or to tonic spasm of anterior neck muscles as in West's syndrome, in adults, a nodding of the head from clonic spasm's of the sternomastoid muscles. Synonym: salaam attack, salaam spasm, spasmus nutans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| saltatory spasm | A spasmodic affection of the muscles of the lower extremities. Synonym: Bamberger's disease, dancing spasm, Gowers disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| hemifacial spasm | Tonic spasm of the muscles supplied by the facial nerve, confined to one side. (12 Dec 1998) |
| progressive torsion spasm | A genetic, environmental, or idiopathic disorder, usually beginning in childhood or adolescence, marked by muscular contractions that distort the spine, limbs, hips, and sometimes the cranial-innervated muscles. The abnormal movements are increased by excitement and, at least initially, abolished by sleep. The musculature is hypertonic when in action, hypotonic when at rest. Hereditary forms usually begin with involuntary posturing of the foot or hand (autosomal recessive form ) or of the neck or trunk (autosomal dominant form ); both forms may progress to produce contortions of the entire body. Synonym: progressive torsion spasm, torsion disease of childhood, torsion dystonia, Ziehen-Oppenheim disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| histrionic 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) |
| sewing spasm | An occupational dystonia occurring in the fingers of women who sew. Synonym: sewing spasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nictitating spasm | Involuntary spasmodic winking. Synonym: spasmus nictitans, winking spasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nodding spasm | In infants, a drop of the head on the chest due to loss of tone in the neck muscles as in epilepsia nutans, or to tonic spasm of anterior neck muscles as in West's syndrome, in adults, a nodding of the head from clonic spasm's of the sternomastoid muscles. Synonym: salaam attack, salaam spasm, spasmus nutans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dancing spasm | A spasmodic affection of the muscles of the lower extremities. Synonym: Bamberger's disease, dancing spasm, Gowers disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| synclonic spasm | Clonic spasm of two or more muscles. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 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) |