Epilepsy, as defined by the medical experts at the Mayo Clinic, is a disorder in which someone has had at least two episodes of seizures. It is not possible to sum up the symptoms of epilepsy into one general category simply because a variety of seizure types exist, each with different symptoms. Typically the symptoms remain the same for each person, but will vary according to the person and the type of seizures he suffers from.
The Basic Symptoms
Seizures are caused by abnormal brain activity, which affects one or more of the processes your brain coordinates. They are broken down into two categories: partial and generalized. Partial seizures affect one part of the brain, although it can spread to other areas once they begin, while generalized seizures affect the entire brain. There are basic symptoms that characterize both of these types and they include short periods of confusion, staring spells, uncontrollable jerking of the limbs and a complete loss of consciousness.
Symptoms of Partial Seizures
There are two types of partial seizures: simple and complex. Although simple partial seizures do not typically cause a loss of consciousness, they do cause a change in emotions, or alter the way things smell, taste and look. They can affect your sensory nerves by causing a tingling sensation in your feet and hands, or result in vertigo, an inner ear condition causing imbalance. You may also experience uncontrollable jerking in your arms, legs, hands and feet.
Complex partial seizures frequently cause a trance-like staring state for a period of time, along with movements that have no apparent purpose such as walking in circles, rubbing your hands, chewing as though something is in your mouth and swallowing. You may also lose awareness for a period of time, as complex partial seizures cause a loss of consciousness.
Symptoms of Generalized Seizures
According to Mayo Clinic, four types of generalized seizures exist: petit mal, myoclonic, atonic and grand mal.
The symptoms of petit mal seizures are usually subtle and include staring and brief losses of consciousness.
Myoclonic seizures are characterized by uncontrollable jerking motions that involve your arms and legs.
Atonic seizures cause you to fall down due to loss of muscle tone, and are known also as drop attacks because of this.
Finally there are grand mal seizures, perhaps the most dangerous of them all. During a grand mal seizure, you will lose complete consciousness and begin shaking and convulsing violently for a period of two to three minutes. You may also become incontinent (loss of bladder control), bite your tongue and experience a stiffening of your entire body.
