Epilepsy is a condition characterized by abnormal electrical behavior in the brain. This can result in seizures, which can range from being barely noticeable to grand mal seizures, which cause convulsions and loss of consciousness. Epilepsy typically firsts manifests during childhood, but may improve over time.
Tonic-Clonic
Tonic-clonic seizures are the type of seizure that most people, according to MedlinePlus, associate with epilepsy. Patients who experience a tonic-clonic seizure lose consciousness for 15 to 30 seconds, and have a period of muscles twitching and rigidity, which is the tonic part of the seizure. The clonic portion is marked by violent muscle contraction and relaxation. Patients may lose control of their bowels and bladder, or have trouble breathing during the seizure. After a tonic-clonic seizure, patients often have no memory of the seizure and feel drowsy for an hour or longer. Tonic-clonic seizures are known as generalized seizures.
Absence Seizure
Absence seizures are another kind of generalized seizure, which means that they affect both sides of the brain and result in a loss of consciousness. Absence seizures, the Epilepsy Foundation notes, can result in patients briefly losing consciousness and staring. These seizures typically begin and end suddenly, and often last for only a few seconds with no lasting after-effects. Because they happen so rapidly, these kinds of seizures can be difficult to diagnose.
Atonic Seizures
Atonic seizures, the Mayo Clinic explains, are also known as drop seizures. They are characterized but sudden loss of muscle tone, which often causes falling. Milder variants can cause a change in posture or make the head droop uncontrollably.
Myoclonic
Myoclonic seizures are marked by the brief and rapid contraction of muscles on both sides of the body. They often do not require medical attention, and are commonly thought of as being muscle spasms or jerks.
Simple Partial
Simple partial seizures, the Mayo Clinic explains, do not cause any loss of consciousness. Instead, these seizures are marked by changes in perception, resulting in altered vision, taste, smell, feel and hearing sensations. Patients can also experience spontaneous muscle movement, and may feel tingling, vertigo or believe that they are seeing flashing lights.
Complex Partial
Complex partial seizures cause altered consciousness, which can make patients unaware of what they are doing during the course of the seizure. Patients may make characteristic repetitive movements, such as hand-rubbing, chewing, walking in circles or swallowing.
