Types of seizures

 International League Against Epilepsy classification in 2010 Classification Seizures into three broad criteria 

Focal seizures

Focal seizure is caused by a localized cortical activity where all the abnormal symptoms are limited to a certain area of the brain. 

What are the Symptoms of Focal seizure?

Patients often blinking repetitively,  making abnormal movements of their lips, such as picking at their clothes. After a few minutes consciousness returns  the patient may feel drowsy for a period of  an hour.

Seizures arising from the anterior parts of the frontal lobe may produce bizarre behavior patterns, including limb posturing, sleepwalking, or even fast and energetic, ill-directed motor activity with incoherent screaming.

Causes of focal seizures

The cause is unknown it is idiopathic but some focal seizures are caused due to ;

• Genetic: such as Autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy, Tuberous sclerosis, Autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features (ADPEAF), Neurofibromatosis, von Hippel–Lindau disease, Cerebral migration
  abnormalities.
• Cerebrovascular disease: such as Intracerebral hemorrhage, Cerebral infarction, Arteriovenous malformation, Cavernous haemangioma.
• Tumors: primary and secondary tumors.
• Infective: such as Cerebral abscess (pyogenic), Toxoplasmosis, Cysticercosis, Tuberculoma, Subdural empyema, Encephalitis, and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
• Inflammatory: such as ,Sarcoidosis ,Vasculitis.
• Trauma

Generalised seizures

 Tonic-clonic (in any combination)

In this type of seizure, the patient initially becomes rigid (tonic) and unconscious, falling heavily if standing and then standing like a log. During this phase, breathing stops,  central cyanosis, urinary incontinence, and tongue-biting may occur.

The jerking (clonic) movements emerge for 2 minutes at most. Afterward, there is a flaccid state of deep coma, which can persist for some minutes, and on regaining awareness the patient may be confused, disorientated, and/or amnesic. Patient usually feels unwell and sleepy, with headache and myalgia

Absence seizures

Absence seizures start in childhood mainly mistaken as focal seizures because they last for a short period. They can occur 20–30 times a day which are   mistaken for daydreaming and poor concentration.

Myoclonic seizures

These are jerking movements, predominating in the arms. In epilepsy, they are more seen in the morning or on awakening from sleep and tend to be provoked by fatigue, alcohol, or sleep deprivation.

Atonic seizures

These are seizures  lead to  heavy falls with or without loss of consciousness due to loss of muscle tone.

Tonic seizures

These are associated with a generalized increase in tone and an associated loss of awareness.

Clonic seizures 

Clonic seizures are similar to tonic-clonic seizures.

Seizures of uncertain generalized or focal nature

Epileptic spasms

Epileptic spasms are also called infantile spasms because it is visible within a few days after taking birth between 4 to 8 years of age.