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• n  a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
• n  (pathology) sudden constriction of a hollow organ (as a blood vessel)

• The pain of these spasms is what causes most people to gulp for breath after just a couple of minutes.
• Last week, in the wake of 1951's scandal-plagued football season, a few belated spasms of conscience were rippling over the nation.
• The Toilet and The Slave, by LeRoi Jones, are one-act spasms of fury.

• cramp
• muscle spasm

News & Articles

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• Need Something To Do Thursday?
  When it comes to Schadenfreude, it can be tough to tell if the queasy feeling in your stomach is one of sadistic pleasure or a spasm of empathy. In the case of a flesh-reddening belly flop, hearing the smack of skin on water is pure sadism.… [ Read more ] [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]
  June 13, 2013 - Boise Weekly
• Voiding Disorder Therapy Improved Sexual Dysfunction
  The cause of sexual dysfunction is thought to be pelvic floor muscle spasm, which affects voiding and fecal functions. Sacral neuromodulation has been advocated to relieve chronic bladder and/or bowel problems. Alleviating voiding dysfunction through sacral neuromodulation has been reported to subsequently improve female sexual function.
  June 11, 2013 - Newswise

Quotes

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• Andy Roddick in 940 News
  I felt a little something last night in my back when I was getting treatment. Then, one wrong movement and I had a complete spasm,Roddick said. "I can't really move my left arm right now. You can't really play around that."
• Jelena Jankovic in USA Today
  I couldn't go anymore,Jankovic said. "My leg was straight and I couldn't bend it. The muscle was in spasm and I had a lot of pain."
• Serena Williams in Forbes
  I had a very bad acute muscle spasm,Williams said. "Acute, as you know, is a really intense pain."