Hörggörcs

Hörggörcs is a term encountered in some Hungarian-language medical texts and colloquial speech to describe bronchospasm, the sudden constriction of the muscles surrounding the bronchi that narrows the airways and impairs airflow. The etymology combines hörgő, meaning bronchus, with görcs, meaning spasm; some sources list hörgőgörcs as a standard spelling, while hörggörcs appears as a nonstandard variant in other contexts.

In medical discussion, bronchospasm is a component of several respiratory diseases, most notably asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Triggers can include allergens, respiratory infections, cold air, exercise, irritant exposure, or emotional stress. Clinically, bronchospasm presents with sudden or recurrent shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness, and may remit between episodes or become a persistent feature of an underlying condition.

Diagnosis typically relies on patient history and physical examination, complemented by lung function testing such as spirometry. A characteristic finding is reversible airway obstruction after administration of a bronchodilator. In some cases, peak-flow measurements or exercise challenge tests are used to assess airway responsiveness.

Treatment focuses on acute relief and long-term control. For immediate relief, inhaled short-acting beta-agonists are commonly used. Long-term management targets the underlying disease with inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting bronchodilators, or other controller therapies, along with trigger avoidance and patient education. Severe exacerbations may require brief systemic steroids or emergency care.

While hörggörcs is not a formal diagnostic term in major medical nomenclature, bronchospasm is a well-established clinical concept, and the term may appear in informal or dialectal usage. See also bronchospasm, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.