LIBAO, Kevin L.

BSN-2H

Types of Seizures

1. Focal seizures: These start in a particular part of your brain,

and their names are based on the part where they happen.
They can cause both physical and emotional effects and make
you feel, see, or hear things that aren’t there. About 60% of
people with epilepsy have this type of seizure, which is
sometimes called a partial seizure. Sometimes, the symptoms
of a focal seizure can be mistaken for signs of mental illness or
another kind of nerve disorder.
 Simple focal seizures: They change how your senses read the
world around you: They can make you smell or taste
something strange, and may make your fingers, arms, or legs
twitch. You also might see flashes of light or feel dizzy. You’re
not likely to lose consciousness, but you might feel sweaty or
nauseated.

 Complex focal seizures: These usually happen in the part of

your brain that controls emotion and memory. You may lose
consciousness but still look like you’re awake, or you may do
things like gag, smack your lips, laugh, or cry. It may take
several minutes for someone who’s having a complex focal
seizure to come out of it.

 Secondary generalized seizures: These start in one part of

your brain and spread to the nerve cells on both sides. They
can cause some of the same physical symptoms as a
generalized seizure, like convulsions or muscle slackness.

2. Generalized seizures:
LIBAO, Kevin L.
BSN-2H

 Tonic-clonic (or grand mal) seizures: These are the most

noticeable. When you have this type, your body stiffens, jerks,
and shakes, and you lose consciousness. Sometimes you lose
control of your bladder or bowels. They usually last 1 to 3
minutes -- if they go on longer, someone should call 911. That
can lead to breathing problems or make you bite your tongue or
cheek.
 Clonic seizures: Your muscles have spasms, which often make
your face, neck, and arm muscles jerk rhythmically. They may
last several minutes.
 Tonic seizures: The muscles in your arms, legs, or trunk tense
up. These usually last less than 20 seconds and often happen
when you’re asleep. But if you’re standing up at the time, you
can lose your balance and fall. These are more common in people
who have a type of epilepsy known as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome,
though people with other types can have them, too.
 Atonic seizures: Your muscles suddenly go limp, and your head
may lean forward. If you’re holding something, you might drop it,
and if you’re standing, you might fall. These usually last less
than 15 seconds, but some people have several in a row. Because
of the risk of falling, people who tend to have atonic seizures may
need to wear something like a helmet to protect their heads.
People who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and another kind of
epilepsy called Dravet syndrome are more likely to have this kind
of seizure.
 Myoclonic seizures: Your muscles suddenly jerk as if you’ve
been shocked. They may start in the same part of the brain as an
atonic seizure, and some people have both myoclonic and atonic
seizures.
 Absence (or petit mal) seizures: You seem disconnected from
others around you and don’t respond to them. You may stare
blankly into space, and your eyes might roll back in your head.
They usually last only a few seconds, and you may not remember
having one. They’re most common in children under 14.
Reference:
LIBAO, Kevin L.
BSN-2H

https://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/types-of-seizures-their-symptoms#1