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A spasm is a sudden involuntary contraction of a muscle, [1] a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, such as the bladder. A spasmodic muscle contraction may be caused by many medical conditions, including dystonia .
Cramp definition is narrower than the definition of muscle spasm: spasms include any involuntary abnormal muscle contractions, while cramps are sustained and painful. [ 1 ] [ 7 ] True cramps can be distinguished from other cramp-like conditions.
Myoclonus is a brief, involuntary, irregular (lacking rhythm) twitching of a muscle, a joint, or a group of muscles, different from clonus, which is rhythmic or regular.. Myoclonus (myo-"muscle", clonus "spasm") describes a medical sign and, generally, is not a diagnosis of a dis
Meaning Origin language and etymology Example(s) capill-of or pertaining to hair Latin capillus, hair capillus: capit-pertaining to the head as a whole Latin caput, capit-, the head capitation, decapitation carcin-cancer: Greek καρκίνος (karkínos), crab carcinoma: cardi-of or pertaining to the heart: Greek καρδία (kardía), heart ...
Laryngospasm is characterized by involuntary spasms of the laryngeal muscles. It is associated with difficulty or inability to breathe or speak, retractions, a feeling of suffocation, which may be followed by hypoxia-induced loss of consciousness. [2] It may be followed by paroxysmal coughing and in partial laryngospasms, a stridor may be heard ...
Cadaveric spasm can be distinguished from rigor mortis as the former is a stronger stiffening of the muscles that cannot be easily undone, while rigor mortis can. [ 2 ] The cause is unknown but is usually associated with violent deaths under extreme physical circumstances with intense emotion , such as the circumstances associated with death ...
A spasm of accommodation (also known as a ciliary spasm, an accommodation, or accommodative spasm) is a condition in which the ciliary muscle of the eye remains in a constant state of contraction. Normal accommodation allows the eye to "accommodate" for near-vision. However, in a state of perpetual contraction, the ciliary muscle cannot relax ...
Bronchospasm or a bronchial spasm is a sudden constriction of the muscles in the walls of the bronchioles. It is caused by the release (degranulation) of substances from mast cells or basophils under the influence of anaphylatoxins. It causes difficulty in breathing which ranges from mild to severe.