What Are The Major Types Of Seizures?

Myoclonic Seizures

Myoclonic seizures cause brief jerking or twitching of one or more muscles, a movement potentially similar to that of an electric shock. Multiple epilepsy syndromes involve myoclonic seizures, but different subtypes have different characteristics. Most individuals who experience a myoclonic seizure are awake and cognizant of their surroundings. The majority of myoclonic seizures don't last more than one or two seconds. Some individuals have just one seizure, but it's also possible for many of these seizures to occur rapidly in a short period. Myoclonic jerks can occur in individuals without epilepsy, typically when they're falling asleep or have the hiccups. These sensations are normal. When myoclonic seizures are part of epilepsy, they tend to cause abnormal movement on both sides of the patient's body simultaneously.

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Clonic Seizures

A clonic seizure is a type of seizure where an individual has an involuntary jerking in parts of their body. These types of seizures can be focal, where only one part of the brain is affected, or they may affect the entire brain. The jerky movements seen in an individual affected by a clonic seizure are the result of repeated stiffening and relaxing of the affected muscles. Clonic seizures tend to last for a duration of between a few seconds and two minutes. Clonic seizures produce movements that are more sustained and regular than those in a myoclonic seizure. Clonic seizures are rare but can occur in individuals of all ages, from infancy to old age. A clonic seizure in a young infant can easily be mistaken or dismissed as the child being jittery. The movements that occur in a clonic seizure cannot be stopped through restraint of the affected limbs or part of the body the way jitteriness can. A clonic seizure is diagnosed through the use of observation, standard EEG, and video EEG.

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