Paresis
SpecialtyNeurology
SymptomsLoss of motor skills
CausesStroke

In medicine, paresis (/pəˈrsɪs, ˈpærəsɪs/) is a condition typified by a weakness of voluntary movement, or by partial loss of voluntary movement or by impaired movement. When used without qualifiers, it usually refers to the limbs, but it can also be used to describe the muscles of the eyes (ophthalmoparesis), the stomach (gastroparesis), and also the vocal cords (vocal cord paresis).

Neurologists use the term paresis to describe weakness, and plegia to describe paralysis in which all voluntary movement is lost. The term paresis comes from the Ancient Greek: πάρεσις 'letting go' from παρίημι 'to let go, to let fall'.

Types

Limbs

Other

  • Gastroparesis – impaired stomach emptying
  • A form of ophthalmoplegia
  • Spastic paresis – exaggerated tendon reflexes and muscle hypertonia[3]
  • In the past, the term was most commonly used to refer to "general paresis", which was a symptom of untreated syphilis.[1] However, due to improvements in treatment of syphilis, it is now rarely used in this context.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 MedlinePlus Encyclopedia: 000748
  2. "Types of Cerebral Palsy". cerebralpalsy.org. Retrieved 2017-05-23.
  3. Young, Robert (2000). "Chapter 15: Spastic Paresis". In Burks, Jack (ed.). Multiple Sclerosis - Diagnosis, Medical Management and Rehabilitation. Demos Medical Publishing, Inc. p. 299. ISBN 1-888799-35-8.
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