Seizure types

Seizure Types

A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. It can cause changes in behavior, movements or feelings, and in levels of consciousness. There are many types of seizures, which range in severity. The types of seizures vary by where and how they begin in the brain. Most seizures last from 30 seconds to two minutes. A seizure that lasts longer than five minutes is a medical emergency.

Types of Seizures

There are several types of seizures, including:

• Focal seizures: These are seizures that appear to result from abnormal activity in just one area of your brain. Focal seizures can occur with or without loss of consciousness.

• Generalized seizures: Generalized seizures appear to involve all areas of the brain. Six types of generalized seizures exist.

• Absence seizures: Absence seizures, previously known as petit mal seizures, often occur in children and are characterized by staring into space or subtle body movements such as eye blinking or lip smacking.

• Tonic seizures: Tonic seizures cause stiffening of your muscles. These seizures usually affect muscles in your back, arms and legs and may cause you to fall to the ground.

• Atonic seizures: Atonic seizures, also known as drop seizures, cause a loss of muscle control, which may cause you to suddenly collapse or fall down.

• Clonic seizures: Clonic seizures are associated with repeated or rhythmic, jerking muscle movements. These seizures usually affect the neck, face and arms.

• Myoclonic seizures: Myoclonic seizures usually appear as sudden brief jerks or twitches of your arms and legs.

• Tonic-clonic seizures: Tonic-clonic seizures, previously known as grand mal seizures, are the most dramatic type of epileptic seizure and can cause an abrupt loss of consciousness, body stiffening and shaking, and sometimes loss of bladder control or biting your tongue.

See Also

• Epilepsy
• Neurology
• Brain

References

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