Vocabulary Lessons

I've starting to collect stroke-related words and phrases. Here are some my favorites:

Tone (noun): Specialized usage. Shortened version of the phrase "abnormally high muscle tone," or spasticity. The affected muscles are rigid and tight, which makes movement difficult and sometimes painful. Example: "I thought I was being complimented when my PT was talking about my tone.  Now she's saying  that if my tone doesn't get better soon,  I might have to have Botox injections to relax my leg."

Cryptogenic (adjective): Of unknown or mysterious origin. Example: "All the tests came back negative; your case is cryptogenic. Basically we don't know why your brain started to bleed."

Perseverate (verb): To repeat or prolong an action, thought, or word after the stimulus that prompted it has ceased. Example: "The patient has severe aphasia and has been perseverating. She keeps repeating 'why?' even though her family has told her repeatedly that they don't know why she had a stroke."