The most common and dramatic, and therefore the most well known, is the generalized convulsion , also called the grand-mal seizure . In this type of seizure, the patient loses consciousness and usually collapses. During grand-mal seizures, injuries and accidents may occur, such as tongue biting and urinary incontinence. The patient, most often a child, typically interrupts an activity and stares blankly. These seizures begin and end abruptly and may occur several times a day.
Myoclonic seizures consist of sporadic jerks, usually on both sides of the body.
Patients sometimes describe the jerks as brief electrical shocks. When violent, these seizures may result in dropping or involuntarily throwing objects. Clonic seizures are repetitive, rhythmic jerks that involve both sides of the body at the same time. Tonic seizures are characterized by stiffening of the muscles. Atonic seizures consist of a sudden and general loss of muscle tone, particularly in the arms and legs, which often results in a fall.