convulsion vs spasm

convulsion

noun
  • An intense, paroxysmal, involuntary muscular contraction. 

  • An uncontrolled fit, as of laughter; a paroxysm. 

  • Violent turmoil. 

spasm

noun
  • A sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ. 

  • A sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion. 

  • A violent, excruciating seizure of pain. 

verb
  • To produce and undergo a spasm or series of spasms. 

How often have the words convulsion and spasm occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )