Definitions
- Describing a sudden and intense onset of symptoms or sensations. - Referring to a recurring episode of a medical condition, such as paroxysmal coughing or paroxysmal pain. - Talking about a sudden outburst of emotion or behavior, such as paroxysmal laughter or anger.
- Describing sudden and involuntary muscle contractions or spasms. - Referring to a medical condition characterized by spasms, such as spasmodic dysphonia or spasmodic torticollis. - Talking about an irregular or intermittent occurrence of an action or behavior, such as spasmodic efforts to quit smoking.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe sudden and irregular occurrences.
- 2Both can refer to medical conditions or symptoms.
- 3Both can be used to describe emotional or behavioral outbursts.
- 4Both words have a negative connotation.
What is the difference?
- 1Intensity: Paroxysmal implies a more intense and severe occurrence than spasmodic.
- 2Frequency: Spasmodic implies a more irregular and intermittent occurrence than paroxysmal, which can be recurring.
- 3Medical usage: Paroxysmal is more commonly used in medical contexts to describe sudden and severe symptoms, while spasmodic is more commonly used to describe muscle spasms or other involuntary movements.
- 4Emotional usage: Paroxysmal is more commonly used to describe sudden outbursts of emotion, while spasmodic is more commonly used to describe irregular or intermittent behavior.
Remember this!
Paroxysmal and spasmodic are both words that describe sudden and irregular occurrences. However, paroxysmal implies a more intense and severe occurrence, often used in medical contexts to describe sudden and severe symptoms or recurring episodes of a condition. On the other hand, spasmodic implies a more irregular and intermittent occurrence, often used to describe muscle spasms or other involuntary movements, or irregular or intermittent behavior.
