SPASM

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(pathology) sudden constriction of a hollow organ (as a blood vessel)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("spasm" is a kind of...):

constriction (the action or process of compressing)

Domain category:

pathology (the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spasm"):

bronchospasm (a spasm of the bronchi that makes exhalation difficult and noisy; associated with asthma and bronchitis)

cardiospasm (a spasm of the cardiac sphincter (between the esophagus and the stomach); if the cardiac sphincter does not relax during swallowing the passage of food into the stomach is obstructed)

heave; retch (an involuntary spasm of ineffectual vomiting)

laryngismus (laryngeal spasm caused by the sudden contraction of laryngeal muscles)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A painful and involuntary muscular contraction

Synonyms:

cramp; muscle spasm; spasm

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("spasm" is a kind of...):

symptom ((medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spasm"):

charley-horse; charley horse (a muscular cramp (especially in the thigh or calf) following vigorous exercise)

graphospasm; writer's cramp (muscular spasms of thumb and forefinger while writing with a pen or pencil)

blepharospasm (spasm of the eyelid muscle resulting in closure of the eye)

crick; kink; rick; wrick (a painful muscle spasm especially in the neck or back ('rick' and 'wrick' are British))

myoclonus (a clonic spasm of a muscle or muscle group)

opisthotonos (severe spasm in which the back arches and the head bends back and heels flex toward the back)

twitch; twitching; vellication (a sudden muscle spasm; especially one caused by a nervous condition)

tenesmus (painful spasm of the anal sphincter along with an urgent desire to defecate without the significant production of feces; associated with irritable bowel syndrome)

trismus (prolonged spasm of the jaw muscles)

Credits

Context examples:

This leads to a reduction in muscle spasms.

(Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

A key is thrown in, which unlocks the door, and in a spasm of rapture he tears off his chains and rushes away to find and rescue his lady love.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

These include severe underarm sweating and severe muscle spasms in the neck and shoulders.

(Botox, NCI Dictionary)

A drug that is used to treat certain types of muscle spasms and is being studied in the treatment of liver cancer.

(Baclofen, NCI Dictionary)

A synthetic chlorophenyl-butanoic acid derivative used to treat spasms due to spinal cord damage and multiple sclerosis, muscle-relaxing Baclofen acts as a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist specific for GABA-B receptors.

(Baclofen, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes B2 bradykinin receptor protein, plays a role in the initiation of several different biological responses including, vasodilation, edema, smooth muscle spasm and pain fiber stimulation.

(BDKRB2 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

It may cause hypotension, cardiac rate changes, and bronchial spasms.

(Bethanechol Chloride, NCI Thesaurus)

The antagonistic action of this agent blocks the activities of endogenous histamine, thereby preventing histamine-induced bronchoconstriction, vasodilation, increased capillary permeability, and GI smooth muscle spasms.

(Dexchlorpheniramine, NCI Thesaurus)

This prevents histamine-induced bronchoconstriction, vasodilation, increased capillary permeability, and GI smooth muscle spasms.

(Dexchlorpheniramine Maleate, NCI Thesaurus)

It helps to increase muscle strength, blood circulation, and range of motion and to lessen muscle spasms.