tuimenduseni

Tuimenduseni is an Estonian linguistic term describing the form that occurs when the noun tuimendus (numbness, anesthesia) is combined with the suffix -eni. The suffix marks an extent or limit, roughly translating to “up to numbness” or “to the point of numbness.” In practice, tuimenduseni appears in medical and technical Estonian to indicate the state reached during a procedure or treatment, particularly the onset or threshold of numbness.

Morphology and usage: Tuimenduseni is not a standalone base word but a derived form formed from the noun tuimendus and the postposed suffix -eni. It is used in predicative constructions or after verbs to express progression toward numbness, for example with verbs like jõudma “to reach” or minema “to go toward.” Common constructions include “jõuti tuimenduseni” (reached numbness) and phrases “kuni tuimenduseni” (up to numbness).

Usage: It is most common in medical texts describing local anesthesia and other numbness‑inducing procedures, such as dental work or minor surgeries. It can also appear in descriptions of sensory thresholds or in instructional material about anesthesia administration.

Examples:

- Kohaliku anesteesia manustamisel jõuti tuimenduseni paari minutiga. Translation: With the administration of local anesthesia, numbness was reached within a few minutes.

- Patsiendil oli tuimenduseni jõudmine enne sisselõiget. Translation: The patient had reached numbness before the incision.

See also: tuimendus, tuimendamine, anesteesia.