Symptoms of Epileptic Convulsions

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder caused by abnormal electrical impulses in the brain that produce convulsions or seizures. The seizures are categorized as generalized or partial, depending on where the related brain activity starts.

Simple Partial Seizures

• Partial seizures begin in one area of the brain and have two types. Rarely producing unconsciousness, simple partial seizures often involve unintentional jerking of a body part like the leg, altered emotions and senses, tingling and vertigo.

Complex Partial Seizures

• Altered consciousness is an intrinsic symptom of complex partial seizures. Besides lost awareness or time, symptoms frequently include staring spells and meaningless movements (for example, rubbing the hands or walking in circles).

Absence Seizures

• Generalized seizures involve the entire brain and fall into four categories. Absence, or petit mal, seizures may involve a short period of unconsciousness, staring spells and slight movements.

Atonic Seizures

• Also called drop attacks, atonic seizures cause sufferers to collapse or fall abruptly due to sudden lost muscle tone.

Myoclonic Seizures

• Myoclonic seizures typically affect the arms and legs, which twitch or jerk unexpectedly.

Tonic-Clonic Seizures

• Also known as grand mal seizures, tonic-clonic seizures are the most severe kind of epileptic seizure. They typically include lost bladder control, a rigid body, shaking and unconsciousness.