What is a seizure?

Neurons, or nerve cells, send information from your brain.

They do this by releasing electrical impulses in an orderly fashion.

If this electrical activity suddenly increases, it’s called a seizure.

It occurs when many neurons rapidly release electrical impulses.

Causing uncontrollable and temporary symptoms.

What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:

Types of seizures

Seizures are classified based on the parts of the brain involved. They include:

Focal seizures

In a focal seizure, the abnormal electrical activity starts in one area of the brain. This used to be called a partial seizure.

Focal seizures are common. Approximately 60 percent of people with epilepsy have focal seizures.

Generalized seizures

Generalized seizures start in both sides of the brain. Sometimes, a focal seizure can become generalized if it spreads.

Types of focal seizures

Focal seizures occur on one side of the brain. Types include:

Focal aware seizure

During a focal aware seizure, previously called a simple focal seizure, you do not lose consciousness.

You’re aware of yourself and surroundings.

Symptoms include:

• unusual head or eye movements
• dilated pupils
• tightened muscles
• numbness
• tingling
• sensation of crawling on the skin
• hallucinations
• nausea
• sweating
• facial flushing
• fast heart rate
• vision changes
• emotional changes
• difficulty speaking
• sensation of déjà vu

This seizure may last between a few seconds and 2 minutes.

What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:

Focal impaired awareness seizure

A focal impaired awareness seizure happens when your consciousness is partially or completely lost.

It used to be called a complex focal seizure or complex partial seizure.

You won’t be aware of yourself and surroundings, but you’ll seem awake. Possible symptoms include:

• inability to respond
• blank staring
• appearance of daydreaming
• lip smacking
• running
• screaming
• crying or laughing
• repeating words or phrases
• performing involuntary dangerous actions, like walking into traffic
• becoming rigid and still

This seizure typically lasts between 1 to 2 minutes.

After the seizure, you may feel sleepy and confused.

Focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures

This seizure occurs when a focal impaired awareness seizure becomes generalized.

Or spreads to both sides of the brain. It used to be called a secondary generalized seizure.

It involves two phases. The first phase is called the tonic phase.

It causes muscle stiffening. Other symptoms include:

• loss of consciousness
• falling to the floor
• crying
• groaning
• biting your tongue or inside of cheek
• difficulty breathing

What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:

The second phase is called the clonic phase. It causes jerking arm and leg movements, along with:

• facial twitching
• repeated flexing and relaxing of muscles
• impaired control of the bladder or bowel

This seizure lasts between 30 seconds to 3 minutes.

Gelastic and dacrystic seizures

These seizures begin in the hypothalamus, which is located at the base of the brain.

Gelastic seizures, or laughing seizures, involve involuntary laughing.

Dacrystic seizures cause involuntary crying. You don’t lose consciousness during these seizures.

What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:

Types of generalized seizures

There are many kinds of generalized seizures, including:

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTC)

Generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTC), previously called a grand mal seizure, begins on both sides of the brain.

It’s different from a focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizure, which starts on one side and then spreads.

It consists of two stages. The tonic phase involves:

• muscle stiffening
• loss of consciousness
• falling to the floor
• crying
• groaning
• biting your tongue or inside of cheek
• difficulty breathing

The clonic phase causes:

• rapid jerking movements
• facial twitching
• impaired bladder or bowel control

A GTC seizure may last 1 to 3 minutes.

What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:

Tonic seizures

A tonic seizure only causes muscle stiffening. It typically occurs during sleep and involves muscles in the:

• back
• legs
• arms

Tonic seizures may cause people to fall down if they are standing or walking when the seizure occurs.

Clonic seizures

These seizures only involve repeated muscle jerking, or clonic movements.

Absence seizures

Absence seizures, previously called petit mal seizures, are often mistaken for daydreaming.

What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:

There are two types:

• Typical absence seizure. This seizure causes sudden symptoms like blank staring and fluttering eyelids. It generally lasts less than 10 seconds.
• Atypical absence seizure. The symptoms, which develop slowly, may include blank staring, eye blinking, hand motions, and fluttering eyelids. This seizure usually lasts 20 seconds or longer.

Myoclonic seizures

A myoclonic seizure causes sudden muscle jerking without impaired consciousness.

It typically involves muscles on both sides of the body.

Generally, these seizures last for 1 or 2 seconds.

They often happen multiple times within a day or several days.

Atonic seizures

In an atonic seizure, or drop attack, you suddenly lose muscle tone. Symptoms include:

• falling from standing position
• sudden head dropping
• inability to respond

Infantile or epileptic spasms

An epileptic spasm involves brief extending or flexing of the arm, leg, or head.

It commonly affects children younger than 2 years old.

If it occurs in an infant, it’s called an infantile spasm.

These spasms last 1 to 3 seconds.

They usually reoccur every few seconds over 10 minutes, which can happen several times a day.

What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:

Complications and risks of seizures

Having a seizure can pose safety risks, including:

• falls and slips
• tongue lacerations (from biting)
• pregnancy complications
• drowning (while in water)
• motor vehicle accidents (while driving)
• anxiety
• stress
• depression
• sudden unexpected death (SUDEP)

What to do if you’re having a seizure

Some seizures cause symptoms just before they start.

If you notice these warning signs, here’s what you should do:

• • Find a safe area without hazardous items or furniture.
  • Loosen clothing around your neck.
  • Let someone know what is happening.
  • If you’re driving, pull over.
  • If you’re near water or a heat source, like a campfire, move away.
  • Follow your seizure action plan.
  • Consider lying down or sitting.