Epilepsy is a disease caused by surges of electrical activity in the brain, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. About 1 in every 100 people in the U.S. will have one seizure during his life. One seizure, however, does not mean that a person has epilepsy. A diagnosis of epilepsy requires at least two seizures. The clinical signs of epilepsy vary with the type of seizure--people can have partial or generalized seizures, which may involve different parts of the body.
Simple Partial Seizures
Partial seizures occur when abnormal electrical activity occurs in one part of the brain. A person having a simple partial seizure may experience changes in the way objects look, smell, taste, sound or feel. These people may also experience a tingling sensation in their limbs and jerking in one portion of their body. During a simple partial seizure, the person remains conscious.
Complex Partial Seizures
A complex partial seizure occurs due to unusual electrical activity in the temporal lobe of the brain and usually only lasts one to two minutes. During a complex partial seizure, the person experiences a loss of awareness and may also experience non-purposeful movements, such as rubbing the hands together, smacking the lips, chewing or swallowing, or moving the arms around. After this type of seizure, the person may feel sleepy or fatigued.
Absence Seizures
Generalized seizures like absence seizures involve the two sides of the brain. These seizures, once referred to as "petit mal" seizures, may include a loss of consciousness. During this type of seizure, there may be staring, blinking or lip smacking. Afterward, the person may not remember the episode. According to the National Health Service, this typically occurs in children and can interfere with schoolwork.
Atonic Seizures
Atonic seizures are another type of generalized seizure. This type of seizures, also called "drop attacks," leads to a loss in muscle tone that causes the person to fall down quite suddenly. The person is unresponsive during this type of seizure.
Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures
According to the National Health Service, grand mal seizures are the most common type of seizure in persons with epilepsy. These also are called generalized tonic-clonic seizures. During this type of seizure, the person first goes stiff and then her arms and legs begin to twitch or jerk. These patients lose consciousness and may lose bladder control during the attack. After the seizure ends, the person may be sleepy or confused.
Myoclonic Seizures
Myoclonic seizures begin as sudden jerking of the arms or legs. These seizures may occur multiple times in a day or several days in a row.
