MUSCLE SPASM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does muscle spasm mean? 

• MUSCLE SPASM (noun)
  The noun MUSCLE SPASM has 1 sense:

1. a painful and involuntary muscular contraction

  Familiarity information: MUSCLE SPASM used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MUSCLE SPASM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A painful and involuntary muscular contraction

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

cramp; muscle spasm; spasm

Hypernyms ("muscle 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 "muscle 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)

 Context examples 

This leads to a reduction in muscle spasms.

(Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

For years, scientists thought that these powerful sedatives, which are used to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, and sleeping disorders, worked alone to calm nerves.

(‘Sticky’ gene may help Valium calm nerves, National Institutes of Health)

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

(NES, NCI Dictionary)

Dicyclomine hydrochloride antagonizes muscarinic receptors on smooth muscle in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, thereby preventing the actions of acetylcholine and reducing GI smooth muscle spasms.

(Dicyclomine Hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

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

(Dimenhydrinate, NCI Thesaurus)

Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis (FAMS) Additional Concerns: I am bothered by muscle spasms.

(FAMS - Bothered by Muscle Spasms, NCI Thesaurus)

They may have violent muscle spasms or lose consciousness.

(Epilepsy, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

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

(Botox, NCI Dictionary)

With mild sedative properties, centrally acting Chlorzoxazone inhibits muscle spasm at the spinal cord and subcortical levels of the brain.

(Chlorzoxazone/Acetaminophen, NCI Thesaurus)

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)