paroxysmal
- adjective
- /ˌpærəˈzɪzməl/
- Specialized
- You're having a minor paroxysmal episode, possibly due to the planet's gravity shifts.
- paroxysmal nystagmus
- paroxysmal nocturnal
- paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
Examples
-
Symptomatic patients may experience non-exertional paroxysmal stabbing chest pain.
Academic text (2007) -
Pain is in the middle, paroxysmal, and associated with pallor.
Academic text (2014) -
The athlete or patient may complain of paroxysmal episodes of pain in the ball of the forefoot.
Academic text (2002) -
Other symptoms include paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, nocturnal dyspnea, and fatigue.
Academic text (2007) -
The patient denied any syncope, pedal edema, orthopnea, or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.
Academic text (2007) -
He experiences paroxysmal pain every few hours that leaves him breathless.
-
The patient suffers from paroxysmal coughing fits that come and go unexpectedly.
-
She had a paroxysmal episode of dizziness that lasted just a few moments.
Synonyms
Sudden, intense body actions you cannot control, like violent laughing or sobbing
Compounds
- Specialized
Sudden attacks when someone cannot walk because their legs become stiff
How Episodic
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Paroxysmal comes from Greek parts para- meaning 'beyond' and oxys meaning 'sharp' or 'sudden'. So paroxysmal describes something that comes on in a sudden, strong attack or short, intense episode, like a cough or pain that starts quickly and then stops.