What is meant by tonic-clonic seizures?
Tonic-clonic seizures involve both tonic (stiffening) and clonic (twitching or jerking) phases of muscle activity. Tonic-clonic seizures may start with a simple partial seizure or aura. The person may experience changes in sensation, mood or emotion leading up to the tonic-clonic seizure.
What is the difference between a tonic seizure and a tonic-clonic seizure?
Tonic seizures involve sudden stiffening and contraction of the muscles. Clonic seizures involve rhythmic twitching or jerking of one or several muscles. Tonic-clonic seizures are a combination of these two types in a specific pattern and are a type of generalized seizure.
What causes clonic seizures?
A grand mal seizure — also known as a generalized tonic-clonic seizure — is caused by abnormal electrical activity throughout the brain. Usually, a grand mal seizure is caused by epilepsy.
What part of the brain causes tonic-clonic seizures?
What part of the brain do tonic-clonic seizures come from? Tonic-clonic seizures can start in one or both sides of the brain. When they start in both sides of the brain, they are called generalized onset motor seizures or a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Both terms mean the same thing.
Can a tonic-clonic seizure cause brain damage?
Although rare, it is possible that a person may sustain a life threatening injury during a seizure. Additionally, some seizures can be prolonged. Having a long lasting seizure can stop oxygen from reaching the brain and cause brain damage.
Is a tonic-clonic seizure serious?
A tonic-clonic seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes needs immediate medical help. Call 911 for emergency help. A seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes, or three seizures in a row without the person coming to between them, is a dangerous condition.
What are symptoms of tonic-clonic seizure?
Tonic-clonic seizures
- tonic stage – you lose consciousness, your body goes stiff, and you may fall to the floor.
- clonic stage – your limbs jerk about, you may lose control of your bladder or bowel, you may bite your tongue or the inside of your cheek, and you might have difficulty breathing.
What is the symptoms of tonic-clonic seizure?
Tonic-clonic seizures tonic stage – you lose consciousness, your body goes stiff, and you may fall to the floor. clonic stage – your limbs jerk about, you may lose control of your bladder or bowel, you may bite your tongue or the inside of your cheek, and you might have difficulty breathing.
Can tonic-clonic seizures cause death?
Tonic-clonic seizures are a severe type of epileptic seizure. These can cause sudden loss of consciousness, convulsions, and loss of bladder control. The chance of sudden death is also higher in individuals whose seizures begin at a young age. However, unexpected death is extremely uncommon in young children.
Can tonic-clonic seizures go away?
When tonic-clonic seizures happen in childhood, some children will outgrow their epilepsy. Others who are seizure-free for a year or two while taking seizure medicine may be able to come off medicine slowly.
What happens after a tonic-clonic seizure?
After a tonic-clonic seizure, you might have a headache and feel sore, tired and very unwell. You might feel confused, or have memory problems. You might go into a deep sleep. When you wake up, minutes or hours later, you might still have a headache, feel sore and have aching muscles.
What is the best medicine for tonic-clonic seizures?
Phenytoin is effective in the treatment of tonic-clonic seizures and is often used because it can be administered once a day if the extended release formulation is administered (there is also an IV formulation).
Is sleeping good for epilepsy?
Epilepsy and Sleep Deprivation Getting the right amount of sleep is important for people with epilepsy. While this link isn’t present in all patients, losing sleep can increase the frequency of seizures in people with epilepsy11, including those with no prior history of seizures.