what type of seizures are there
There are six types of generalized seizures: 1  Tonic-clonic seizures, also known as grand mal seizures, are what most people think of when they imagine a seizure. 2  Tonic seizures include body stiffening, but do not include the clonic phase of uncontrolled jerking or spasms.
Although there are many types of seizures, those that people with epilepsy experience commonly fall into two major groups: 1  Generalized seizures. 2  Partial (or focal) seizures.
In this Article. Epilepsy is the occurrence of sporadic electrical storms in the brain commonly called seizures. These storms cause behavioral manifestations (such as staring) or involuntary movements (such as grand mal seizures). There are several types of epilepsy, each with different causes, symptoms, and treatments. When making a diagnosis of epilepsy, your doctor may use one of the following terms: idiopathic, cryptogenic, symptomatic, generalized, focal, or partial. Idiopathic means there is no apparent cause.