Major Types of Seizures
Major Types of Seizures Seizures are classified into two groups.
1. Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain.
2. Absence seizures, sometimes called petit mal seizures, can cause rapid blinking or a few seconds of staring into space.
3. Tonic-clonic seizures, also called grand mal seizures, can make a person cry out, lose consciousness, fall to the ground, and have muscle jerks or spasms.
The person may feel tired after a tonic-clonic seizure.
4. Focal seizures are located in just one area of the brain. These seizures are also called partial seizures.
5. Simple focal seizures affect a small part of the brain. These seizures can cause twitching or a change in sensation, such as a strange taste or smell.
6. Complex focal seizures can make a person with epilepsy confused or dazed. The person will be unable to respond to questions or direction for up to a few minutes.
7. Secondary generalized seizures begin in one part of the brain, but then spread to both sides of the brain. In other words, the person first has a focal seizure, followed by a generalized seizure.
Seizures may last as long as a few minutes.