myotonia, myotonic (adj)

Term: myotonia

Origin: Anc Greek

μυς/mys/ (=muscle) > μύω/myo(=enclosed like the muscle inside body or rat in its nest=epimys)

τόνος/tonos (= the normal state of elastic tension or partial contraction in resting muscles)

> τανύω/taneo(=strain)

myotonia literally means tension.

Coined:

In 1876 myotonia recorded by Dutch physician Julius Thomsen who had in his family members from four generations, suffered from myotonia congenita (also later known as Thomsen’s disease).  In 1881 Strumpell  coined the term "myotonia" 5 years after the appearance of Thomsen's report on " tonic cramps in voluntary muscles in consequence of inherited psychic disposition” coined the term “myotonia”. Charles Bell in 1883 was probably the first to describe myotonia congenita (Thomsen's disease). 1909 Steinert in Germany, Batten and Gibb in England first described disease, now known as myotonic dystrophy, as a distinct disorder different from myotonia congenita.

Definition:

Neuromuscular symptom causing difficulty in relaxing contracted voluntary muscle due to temporary rigidity of one or more muscles. The tension