What are the Different Types of Epilepsy?
Blues Perspectives
| 4 min read
Nearly 3 million or about 1% of adult Americans have epilepsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 450,000 children in America have epilepsy. Epilepsy is a disorder that notably causes seizures and can disrupt social life. This disorder is associated with health care difficulties including reduced access to health care services and being less likely to afford their medication or taking it less often as they should to save money.
The four basic types of epilepsy
There are four basic types of epilepsy, each affects the brain and body differently and stem from different sections of the brain. The main four types of epileptic seizures are:
Generalized seizures
Generalized seizures broadly affect multiple areas of the brain and can move to different sections after the onset of seizures. They include:
- absence seizures, which result in staring spells usually lasting less than 15 seconds
- myoclonic seizures, which cause rapid uncontrollable muscle movements
- tonic-clonic seizures, formerly called grand mal seizures, cause muscle stiffening, loss of consciousness and loss of bowel and bladder control, followed by rhythmic jerking
- atonic seizures, also called drop seizures, cause a loss of muscle support, causing the body to go limp and the person to drop or fall, and typically last less than 15 seconds
Focal seizures
Focal seizures are the most common type of epileptic seizure and usually last less than two minutes. Focal seizures were previously called partial seizures since they originate in one side of the brain. When experiencing a focal seizure, people are still aware, alert and able to remember the events during the seizure. During a seizure, people may experience shaking of one or more parts of the body, visions of flashing lights, sudden nausea and odd sensations. However, they may appear still or unresponsive.
Generalized and focal seizures
These occur when these two types of seizures occur together. People experiencing combined generalized and focal seizures may have any combination of symptoms of the two types of seizures. They may or may not have memory of the events during the seizure, may have muscle stiffening and convulsions and appear still and unresponsive.
Unknown onset seizures
Unknown onset seizures are not witnessed by anyone else and can occur while alone, at night while sleeping or in cases when it is not obvious to those nearby that a seizure is occurring. These seizures’ causes may be able to be diagnosed if the person wakes up during or are aware during the seizure, and the seizure be placed in another category after receiving medical attention. These seizures may not be obvious to the individual, however.
Epileptic syndromes
There are also a variety of epileptic syndromes that can occur within epilepsy:
- Lennox-Gastaut syndrome usually begins before the age of four and causes multiple types of seizures. It can be caused by brain malformations, severe head injury, genetics and inherited conditions or perinatal asphyxiation.
- West syndrome is also called infantile spasms. Seizures caused by West syndrome may be confused with other infantile movements and usually only last a few seconds.
- Rasmussen's syndrome starts with seizures within the first three years after birth but can progress to cause weakness in one side of the body and impair memory and cognitive functions.
- Doose syndrome causes both tonic-clonic and drop seizures, often starting before a child turns six. It only occurs in fewer than 2% of children with epilepsy and there is usually a family history of seizures.
What are warning signs and triggers for epileptic seizures?
Oftentimes people who experience seizures can feel warning signs or an aura before a seizure begins. Warning signs include:
- a feeling in the stomach
- a sudden emotional response such as fear or anxiety
- visions of flashing lights or colors
- sudden tastes or smells
- dizziness and a loss of balance
Triggers for seizures differ from person to person and based on the type of epilepsy. Common seizure triggers include:
- skipping doses of medication
- alcohol and drug use
- caffeine
- low blood sugar or skipping meals
- flashing lights
- lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep
- hormone changes
- stress and anxiety
- dehydration
- Illness
When to seek emergency care for seizures:
- Someone’s first seizure
- If someone falls and hits their head
- If food or vomit is in the airway
- Seizure clusters
- A seizure lasting longer than two minutes
