"Paroxysms" redirects here. For the waltz by Johann Strauss, see Paroxysmen.
Not to be confused with proximal.
Medical condition
Paroxysmal attack
Other names
Paroxysms
Specialty
Neurology
Paroxysmal attacks or paroxysms (from Greek παροξυσμός) are a sudden recurrence or intensification of symptoms, such as a spasm or seizure.[1] These short, frequent symptoms can be observed in various clinical conditions. They are usually associated with multiple sclerosis or pertussis, but they may also be observed in other disorders such as encephalitis, head trauma, stroke, autism, asthma, trigeminal neuralgia, breath-holding spells, epilepsy, malaria, tabes dorsalis, and Behçet's disease, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). It has also been noted as a symptom of gratification disorder in children.[citation needed]
The word paroxysm means "sudden attack, outburst",[2] and comes from the Greek παροξυσμός (paroxusmos), 'irritation, exasperation'.[3]
Paroxysmal attacks in various disorders have been reported extensively, and ephaptic coupling of demyelinated nerves has been presumed as one of the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon. This is supported by the presence of these attacks in multiple sclerosis and tabes dorsalis, which both involve demyelination of spinal cord neurons. Exercise, tactile stimuli, hot water, anxiety and neck flexion may provoke paroxysmal attacks. Most reported paroxysmal attacks are painful tonic spasms, dysarthria and ataxia, numbness and hemiparesis. They are typically different from other transient symptoms by their brevity (lasting no more than 2 minutes), frequency (from 1–2 times/day up to a few hundred times/day), stereotyped fashion and excellent response to drugs (usually carbamazepine). Withdrawal of symptoms without any residual neurological finding is another key feature in their recognition.[citation needed]
^Saunders Elsevier, "Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary 31e", Philadelphia (2007), p1405, ISBN 978-1-4160-2364-7
^paroxysm[dead link], on Oxford Dictionaries
^παροξυσμός, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
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antibody complement inhibitor medication designed for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome...
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category changes to paroxysmal AF. Although people in this category have episodes lasting up to seven days, in most cases of paroxysmal AF, the episodes...
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laid on her back, making her bedridden and she experienced periodic paroxysmalattacks. Her case became notorious and her symptoms were popularly attributed...
sleep too late in the morning, is an almost certain method to bring on the paroxysm, and the more frequently it returns, the greater strength it acquires;...
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