Paresis

Latest revision as of 14:42, 7 May 2012

This article is about the physical malady. For the mental disorder, see general paresis of the insane.

Not to be confused with Paruresis

Paresis is a condition typified by a weakness of voluntary movement, or partial loss of voluntary movement or by impaired movement. When used without qualifiers, it usually refers to the limbs, but it also can 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 Greek: πάρεσις "letting go" or "paralysis" from παρίημι "to let go, to let fall."

[edit] Limbs

Monoparesis — One leg or one arm
Paraparesis — Both legs
Hemiparesis — One arm and one leg on either side of the body
Tetraparesis/Quadriparesis — All four limbs

These terms frequently refer to the impairment of motion in multiple sclerosis.

[edit] Other

Gastroparesis -- Impaired stomach emptying
It is also used to describe a form of ophthalmoplegia.
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.