How to Pronounce Hemiballismus
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Hemiballismus Pronunciation
hem-ih-bah-LIZ-mus
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
hem
ih
bah
LIZ
stress here
mus
5 syllables
What is Hemiballismus?
A rare movement disorder characterized by involuntary, violent, flinging movements of one side of the body, most often affecting the arm. It is usually caused by a stroke or lesion in the subthalamic nucleus of the basal ganglia.
Questions About Hemiballismus
How do you pronounce hemiballismus?
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Hemiballismus is pronounced "hem-ih-bah-LIZ-mus." Break it into four syllables: HEM-ih-bah-LIZ-mus. The stress falls on the third syllable, so you say it a bit louder: hem-ih-BAH-liz-mus.
What does the word part 'hemi' mean?
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The word part 'hemi' comes from Greek and means "half." In medical terms, 'hemi' always refers to one side of the body, so hemiballismus affects only one side.
What does the word part 'ballismus' mean?
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The word part 'ballismus' comes from Greek and means "throwing" or "flinging." It describes the type of movement involved in this condition—forceful, flinging motions rather than small or controlled movements.
What is a plain English way to understand hemiballismus?
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Hemiballismus literally means "throwing on one side of the body." It's a way doctors describe involuntary movements that happen on just one side—usually the arm—that look like flinging or throwing motions.
What is the most common mispronunciation of hemiballismus?
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Many people stress the wrong syllable and say "hem-ih-bah-liz-MUS" with the stress on the last syllable, but that's incorrect. The correct stress is on the third syllable: hem-ih-BAH-liz-mus.
What are related medical words that use 'ballismus'?
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You might hear "ballismus" in other medical terms like "ballistic movements" or conditions described using similar root words. These all relate to the Greek idea of throwing or flinging motions, so they describe movement disorders.
Is there a short form or abbreviation for hemiballismus?
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Hemiballismus is sometimes shortened to just "ballismus" in medical conversations, though the full term is more specific because it clarifies that the movement happens on only one side of the body.
How would you use hemiballismus in a sentence?
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You might hear a doctor or nurse say: "The patient was diagnosed with hemiballismus affecting the right arm." This tells you the condition involves involuntary flinging movements on one side of the body.