Epileptic seizures are the visible symptoms experienced by people living with epilepsy. They occur due to abnormal electrical activity in one area or throughout the entire brain.
Although there are more than 30 types of epileptic seizures, they’re generally divided into two categories: focal seizures and generalized seizures.
What Types of Epileptic Seizures Are There?To determine the type of epilepsy, it’s necessary to understand the origin of the brain disturbances that cause seizures, the term used to describe the abnormal neuronal activity that produces the changes seen in a person with epilepsy.
Focal seizures originate in just one part of the brain. They’re also known as localized seizures and may occur with or without loss of consciousness.
Other common symptoms include a sense of déjà vu, changes in vision, taste, smell, sounds, or bodily sensations, staring blankly into space or not responding normally. Body spasms may also occur, mainly in the limbs.
Generalized seizures originate across all areas of the brain and have six subtypes:
- Absence seizures. Characterized by staring fixedly at a particular point, sometimes accompanied by subtle body movements like blinking or lip-smacking.
- Generalized tonic seizures. Cause muscle stiffness and can affect consciousness.
- Generalized atonic seizures. Also known as drop seizures, these cause a loss of muscle control.
- Generalized clonic seizures. Associated with jerking or repetitive movements in the neck, arms, and face.
- Myoclonic seizures. Present as brief, sudden jerking movements.
- Generalized tonic-clonic seizures. These are the most intense type and can result in sudden loss of consciousness, spasms, and full-body convulsions.
There are also acute symptomatic seizures, or unprovoked seizures. These occur due to a disturbance associated with a brain injury. A patient experiencing this type of seizure isn’t necessarily classified as having epilepsy, even though the symptoms may be nearly identical.
What Are Epileptic Seizures Like?Epileptic seizures happen unexpectedly and generally occur following some kind of disturbance in the person, disappearing after just a few seconds.
Every person is different, and epileptic seizures can occur occasionally or recurrently, and they’ll generally look the same each time they happen.
A person must experience at least two unprovoked seizures in order to receive a diagnosis of epilepsy.
At ABC Medical Center’s Epilepsy Clinic, we can provide you with specialized care and answer any questions you may have about epileptic seizures. Contact us!
