Medical term for the 'Death Grip'?

• A. Rigor Mortis
• B. Livor Mortis
• C. Tache Noir
• D. Cadaveric Spasm

Answer: (D)

Cadaveric spasm is the medical term for the immediate, involuntary contraction of muscles at the moment of death, causing a firm grip that can fix the hands around an object. This “death grip” persists as the body cools, and it happens right at death rather than developing afterward. It’s different from rigor mortis, which is a gradual stiffening that appears after death due to chemical changes in the muscles. Livor mortis refers to the pooling of blood that creates skin discoloration in dependent areas, not a muscle contraction. Tache noire describes a dried conjunctival change seen in eyes of decomposed bodies. So the best term for the described grip is cadaveric spasm.