Types of Seizures

Generalized seizures

Massive bursts of electrical energy sweep through the entire brain simultaneously, causing loss of consciousness, falls, convulsions or massive muscle spasms.

Partial seizures

These are the most common type of seizures, affecting 60 percent of people with epilepsy. The seizures start in one part of the brain and may stay there or move to other parts of the brain and affect whatever physical or mental activity that area controls.

Simple partial seizures

Patients experiencing these types of seizures usually don't lose consciousness, but can affect movement, emotion sensations and feelings.

Complex partial seizures

These seizures often take place in one of the brain's two temporal lobes and is called "temporal lobe epilepsy." During this type of seizure, a person cannot interact normally with others and is not in control of his movement, speech or actions and may not have any recollection of the incident later. They are characterized by one- to two-minute episodes of lost awareness of their surroundings. The person may fall into a blank stare, smack their lips, swallow repeatedly, pick at things with their fingers or have uncontrolled hand movements. These seizures are often preceded by an aura, which is caused by an electrical discharge. These often consist of a sudden sense of unprovoked fear, strange odor or taste, a dèjá vu experience, or butterflies in the stomach.