involuntary muscle
Self-controlling contractile tissue
Involuntary muscle is muscle tissue that operates without conscious control—the heart pumping blood, the stomach churning food, blood vessels constricting and dilating.
Also called smooth muscle when referring to the type found in organs and vessels, though cardiac muscle is technically involuntary too.
Contrast with voluntary or skeletal muscle, which you consciously command.
Involuntary digestive muscle waves
- contractionReduction in size
- dilationWidening of an opening
- constrictionTightening or narrowing action
- propulsionForce driving movement forward
pumping · regulation · vasodilation · vasoconstriction · tone · motility · blood flow · digestion
Circulatory system's pump
- stomachDigestive organ below chest
- intestinesCoiled digestive organs
- esophagusFood tube to stomach
- bladderOrgan holding urine
uterus · bronchi · blood vessels · arteries · veins · colon · rectum · duodenum
Feeling others' emotions
- parasympatheticNerve system promoting rest
- automaticOperating without intervention
- unconsciousNot awake or aware
- unwilledNot deliberately caused
uncontrolled · spontaneous · innate · inherent · self-regulating · vegetative · visceral · instinctive
Involuntary muscle contraction
- crampPainful muscle seizure
- dystoniaMovement disorder causing postures
- achalasiaEsophageal motility disorder
- gastroparesisImpaired stomach motility disorder
arrhythmia · incontinence · ileus · irritable bowel · atony · colic · angina · cardiomyopathy
Rapid lid movement
- twitchInvoluntary muscular jerk
- spasmInvoluntary muscle contraction
- hiccupSpasmodic breath intake
- sneezeExplosive nasal reflex
cough · gag · shudder · startle response · stretch reflex · swallowing reflex
sphincter
Muscle encircling body opening
peristalsis
Involuntary digestive muscle waves
- contractionReduction in size
- dilationWidening of an opening
- constrictionTightening or narrowing action
propulsion · pumping · regulation · vasodilation · vasoconstriction · tone · motility · blood flow · digestion · circulation
heart
Circulatory system's pump
- stomachDigestive organ below chest
- intestinesCoiled digestive organs
- esophagusFood tube to stomach
bladder · uterus · bronchi · blood vessels · arteries · veins · colon · rectum · duodenum · jejunum
sympathetic
Feeling others' emotions
- parasympatheticNerve system promoting rest
- automaticOperating without intervention
- unconsciousNot awake or aware
unwilled · uncontrolled · spontaneous · innate · inherent · self-regulating · vegetative · visceral · instinctive · reflexive
spasm
Involuntary muscle contraction
- crampPainful muscle seizure
- dystoniaMovement disorder causing postures
- achalasiaEsophageal motility disorder
gastroparesis · arrhythmia · incontinence · ileus · irritable bowel · atony · colic · angina · cardiomyopathy · myoclonus
blink
Rapid lid movement
sneeze · cough · gag · shudder · startle response · stretch reflex · swallowing reflex
involuntary, muscle, voluntary, voluntarily, involuntarily, volunteer, volition, volitional, muscles