What is a tonic focal seizure?

Stiffening of a part of the body may begin in one area and stay local. These are called focal tonic seizures. When it starts on both sides of the brain: The whole body or both sides of the body may become stiff or tense from the beginning.

What do Tonic seizures look like?

Tonic seizures: Tonic seizures cause a person’s muscles to stiffen uncontrollably. They may suddenly fall or lose control over their bodies. Some people make a noise at the beginning of the seizure, and if the seizure lasts for a long time, it may look like the person is shaking as their muscles tense.

What are the symptoms of a tonic seizure?

A tonic seizure causes a sudden stiffness or tension in the muscles of the arms, legs or trunk. The stiffness lasts about 20 seconds and is most likely to happen during sleep. Tonic seizures that occur while the person is standing may cause them to fall. After the seizure, the person may feel tired or confused.

What does a tonic seizure look like on EEG?

Tonic seizures during wakefulness commonly produce injuries owing to sudden, unexpected falls. The interictal EEG typically shows a poorly organized background with generalized spike‐wave discharges of less than 3.0 Hz (slow spike‐wave complexes) or focal or multifocal spikes and sharp waves.

What is Generalised epilepsy?

Generalised seizures are a common seizure type, characterised by loss of consciousness, widespread motor manifestations of tonic contractions followed by clonic jerking movements, and a suppressed level of arousal following the event.

What is the difference between tonic and atonic seizures?

Tonic seizures tend to be very brief and happen without warning. In an atonic seizure (or ‘drop attack’) the person’s muscles suddenly relax, and they become floppy. If they are standing they often fall, usually forwards, and may injure the front of their head or face.

How long does a tonic seizure last?

Tonic-clonic seizures last between one and three minutes. Any seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes will need medical attention.

Do you stop breathing during a seizure?

During the tonic phase of the seizure, they may temporarily stop breathing and their face may become dusky or blue, especially around the mouth. This period is usually brief (usually no more than 30 to 45 seconds) and does not require CPR.

What do Generalised seizures involve?

Generalized seizures include absence, atonic, tonic, clonic, tonic-clonic, myoclonic, and febrile seizures. Loss of consciousness may be accompanied by spasms, stiffening, shaking, muscle contractions or loss of muscle tone.

What happens in the brain during a tonic seizure?

A tonic-clonic seizure usually begins on both sides of the brain, but can start in one side and spread to the whole brain. A person loses consciousness, muscles stiffen, and jerking movements are seen. These types of seizures usually last 1 to 3 minutes and take longer for a person to recover.

What are the 4 stages of a tonic-clonic seizure?

In addition to these categorizations, there are four distinct phases of seizures: prodromal, early ictal (the “aura”), ictal, and post-ictal.

What do you need to know about 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,… If you are with someone who has a tonic-clonic seizure: Do not

How can you tell if you have tonic epilepsy?

Imaging tests like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans look for lesions or areas of the brain causing tonic and other types of generalized seizures. EEG (electroencephalogram) tests can help tell the difference between tonic seizures and other symptoms.

When do focal tonic seizures start on both sides of the brain?

Stiffening of a part of the body may begin in one area and stay local. These are called focal tonic seizures. When it starts on both sides of the brain: The whole body or both sides of the body may become stiff or tense from the beginning.

Can a person have one atonic seizure a day?

People can have just one atonic seizure or several in a row. When an atonic seizure happens, try your best to make sure the person is in a safe place to prevent injuries and falls. In some types of epilepsy (like Lennox-Gastaut or Dravet syndrome), seizures can happen in clusters with two or more at one time or in one day.