USMLE Forum Archives - USMLE Step 3 - muscle spasms
muscle spasms
meduploader - 05-11-09 07:34
A 46-year-old woman presents to the emergency department complaining of facial spasms and muscle
stiffness. Five days ago, while working with barbed wire on her ranch, she sustained a deep puncture
wound of the left thenar eminence. This morning during breakfast, she experienced difficulty opening
her mouth and felt pain with swallowing; this has progressed to stiffness and pain in her back, neck,
thighs, and abdomen. On examination, the patient’s face is held in a stiff grimace. Any sudden stimulus
produces tonic muscle contractions.
Which of the following therapies will best treat this patient’s muscle spasms?
meduploader - 05-11-09 07:34
A 46-year-old woman presents to the emergency department complaining of facial spasms and muscle
stiffness. Five days ago, while working with barbed wire on her ranch, she sustained a deep puncture
wound of the left thenar eminence. This morning during breakfast, she experienced difficulty opening
her mouth and felt pain with swallowing; this has progressed to stiffness and pain in her back, neck,
thighs, and abdomen. On examination, the patient’s face is held in a stiff grimace. Any sudden stimulus
produces tonic muscle contractions.
Which of the following therapies will best treat this patient’s muscle spasms?
The correct answer and explanation will be available after you answer.
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#4
Re: muscle spasms usmlefever3 - 05-12-09 03:35 My answer is: b.
all the treatment listed in the options are used in management of tetanus but to control the spasms diazepam is given
#9
Re: muscle spasms conym5 - 12-29-09 08:25 My answer is: b.
Benzodiazepines are the standard of care to control rigidity and spasms. They block reuptake of an endogenous inhibiting neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), at the GABAA receptor.
#24
Re: muscle spasms conym5 - 04-14-10 13:12 Tetanus toxoid must be administered after an episode of tetanus because clinicaltetanus does not establish natural immunity, but tetanus toxoid will not control tetanospasm once it is established.
#29
Re: muscle spasms babbu5508 - 09-30-10 08:33 My answer is: b.
best treat this patient’s muscle spasms...diazepam is used to treat the spasms while ATG and penicillin treat the cause...
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