Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Paroxysm
Introduction
Paroxysm
- a sudden outburst of a violent emotion or action (laughter, rage)
- a seizure, spasm, cramp, sudden attack of pain
- an increase of symptoms or periodic attacks of a disease (such as malaria, asthma, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, tachycardia, whooping cough, and epilepsy.)
- In geology a volcanic eruption with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 5 (on a scale of 0-8) is called ‘paroxysmal.’
For medical meanings see also paroxysmal attacks.
External links
- Bronchial Asthma as Paroxysmal Disease Common mechanisms of asthma with other neurogenic paroxysmal diseases.