Dictionary

myocardium The heart muscle.

myoclonic twitch A rapid, involuntary muscle contraction, particularly near the eye. Myoclonic twitches resemble and may be mistaken for tics. Like tics, they tend to occur more often when the person is under stress; unlike tics, they are not preceded by any sensation and they cannot be delayed.

myoclonus The shock-like, involunatary contraction of a muscle. See also myoclonic twitch.

myofascial pain syndrome A condition that is characterized by chronic pain in the muscle tissues and is similar to fibromyalgia. Abbreviated MPS. MPS is sometimes the aftermath of injury. Pain medication, anti-inflammatory medication, and therapies aimed at relaxing the muscle tissues (such as massage, chiropractic, and some forms of acupuncture) have been reported as beneficial….

myoglobin The pigment in muscle that carries oxygen.

myoma A tumor of muscle. Myoma can refer specifically to a benign tumor of uterine muscle, also called a leiomyoma or a fibroid.

myomectomy Surgery to remove a fibroid from the uterus.

myometrium The muscular outer layer of the uterus.

myopathic pseudo-obstruction See pseudoobstruction, myopathic.

myopathy Any and all diseases of muscle.

myopathy, mitochondrial See MELAS syndrome.

myopia Nearsightedness, the inability to see distant objects well. Myopia can be caused by either a longer-than-normal eyeball or a condition that prevents light rays from focusing on the retina. Most forms of myopia can be managed with corrective lenses. Surgery is available to permanently correct some forms of myopia.