I knew nothing. I heard about people who fall down and that was all. I had no idea about epilepsy.
Anja, Germany
The symptoms experienced by a person during a seizure depend on the part of the brain that is affected.
Seizures are classified into two types - generalised and partial seizures and are often referred as 'the epilepsies'.
Click on a term in the list below to see an explanation of what it means.
Partial Seizures
Only part of the brain is affected and consciousness may be altered but not lost.
Simple partial seizure
During a simple partial seizure the person may experience unusual sensations and/or movement in one part of the body.
Common symptoms include:
- Tingling
- Twitching
- Rhythmic shaking
- Fumbling
Complex partial seizures
During a complex partial seizure the person may be unaware of their surroundings and unable to respond when spoken to, and their behaviour may appear strange.
Common symptoms include:
- Fixed staring
- Chewing
- Confused Speech
- Fumbling
- Wandering
Generalised Seizures
The whole brain is affected and consciousness is lost. Seizures in this category include:
Tonic-clonic seizures
During a tonic-clonic seizure the person may experiences an abrupt loss of consciousness. The tonic phase of the seizure is represented by the whole body going rigid and followed by the clonic phase when the arms and legs jerk. The person experiencing the seizure may fall or lose muscle tone. Incontinence may happen.
Common symptoms include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Jerking movements
Absences seizures
During an absence seizure the person may look blank for a few seconds and may not respond when spoken to or realise they have had a seizure. This type of seizure can happen repeatedly and will only last a few seconds.
Common symptoms include
Myoclonic seizures
During a myoclonic seizure the person may experience rhythmic, shock-like muscle jerks that generally affect upper limbs and shoulders but may affect the whole body. These muscle jerks can be strong enough to throw the person to the ground.
Common symptoms include
Atonic seizures
During an atonic seizure the person may experience a sudden loss of muscle strength and consciousness resulting in a fall to the floor.
Common symptoms include
- Loss of muscle tone
- Falling to floor
Although the vast majority of seizures do not cause accidents, their existence causes uncertainty and insecurity in people with epilepsy, their family and
friends.
