Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment/Prevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment/Prevention
A tonic-clonic seizure, formerly called a grand mal seizure, is the “classic” type ofseizuremost people are familiar with. It involves loss of consciousness or awareness, plus uncontrolled jerking and stiffness of the arms, legs, or body. It generally lasts just a few seconds to a couple of minutes.
Symptomsof tonic-clonic seizures can include any combination of the following:
Due to impaired consciousness, you may not be aware that you’re having such a seizure.
A tonic-clonic seizure can be classified as either a primary or secondary generalized seizure.
Starts in one part of the brain, but spreads to both sides
Awareness or partial awareness are possible at the seizure onset
Primary Generalized Tonic-Clonic SeizureInvolves the whole brainComplete lack of awareness and memoryImpacts the whole body
Involves the whole brain
Complete lack of awareness and memory
Impacts the whole body
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When the brain is injured,the electrical activity that normally controls brain functionmay become disturbed or erratic. One or more part of the brain may then ‘misfire,’ causing unwanted physical actions that often manifest as a tonic-clonic seizure.
A number of medical problems can cause a person to experience tonic-clonic seizures, including:
Causes and Risk Factors of Epilepsy
A tonic-clonic seizure is often diagnosed based on the clinical manifestations. Diagnostic testing such aselectroencephalogram (EEG)and brain imaging may also help in diagnosis and the creation of a treatment plan.
Seizure diagnosis is based on:
Treatment and Prevention
Tonic-clonic seizure treatment is primarily focused on prevention, however, in some situations such as with prolonged seizures, treatment will be needed acutely.
A seizure that lasts five minutes or longer is a potentially life-threatening emergency calledstatus epilepticus. It typically requires treatment with a fast-acting medication that stops the seizure right away.
Medications used to treat status epilepticus include intravenous forms of lorazepam, diazepam, and midazolam.
Avoiding Triggers
Medications
Most people who are prone to recurrent tonic-clonic seizures can experience a seizure due to a fever, infection, sleepiness, or no known trigger at all. Anti-seizure medications, which are also referred to asanticonvulsants, are often recommended to prevent or reduce recurrent seizures.
Common anti-seizure medications used for treating tonic-clonic seizures include:
*Preferred anticonvulsants for primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures
How Epilepsy Is Treated
A Word From Verywell
There is a high likelihood that you will reduce the number of tonic-clonic seizures you have once doctors find the cause and get you on anticonvulsant medication. Most people with epilepsy can prevent seizures and have a good quality of life. That said, tonic-clonic seizures can pose some social and emotional challenges. Learning to explain your illness to the people in your life can help prevent fear and misunderstandings and provide you with support you need.
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gursahani R, Gupta N. The adolescent or adult with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2012;15(2):81-8. doi:10.4103/0972-2327.94988Dobesberger J, Ristić AJ, Walser G, et al. Duration of focal complex, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic, and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures–A video-EEG analysis. Epilepsy Behav. 2015;49:111-7. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.03.023Rheims S, Ryvlin P. Pharmacotherapy for tonic-clonic seizures. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014;15(10):1417-26. doi:10.1517/14656566.2014.915029Additional ReadingDobesberger J, Ristić AJ, Walser G, et al.Duration of focal complex, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic, and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures–A video-EEG analysis.Epilepsy Behav. 2015 Aug;49:111-7. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.03.023.Rheims S, Ryvlin P.Pharmacotherapy for tonic-clonic seizures.Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014 Jul;15(10):1417-26. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2014.915029.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gursahani R, Gupta N. The adolescent or adult with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2012;15(2):81-8. doi:10.4103/0972-2327.94988Dobesberger J, Ristić AJ, Walser G, et al. Duration of focal complex, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic, and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures–A video-EEG analysis. Epilepsy Behav. 2015;49:111-7. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.03.023Rheims S, Ryvlin P. Pharmacotherapy for tonic-clonic seizures. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014;15(10):1417-26. doi:10.1517/14656566.2014.915029Additional ReadingDobesberger J, Ristić AJ, Walser G, et al.Duration of focal complex, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic, and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures–A video-EEG analysis.Epilepsy Behav. 2015 Aug;49:111-7. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.03.023.Rheims S, Ryvlin P.Pharmacotherapy for tonic-clonic seizures.Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014 Jul;15(10):1417-26. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2014.915029.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Gursahani R, Gupta N. The adolescent or adult with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2012;15(2):81-8. doi:10.4103/0972-2327.94988Dobesberger J, Ristić AJ, Walser G, et al. Duration of focal complex, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic, and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures–A video-EEG analysis. Epilepsy Behav. 2015;49:111-7. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.03.023Rheims S, Ryvlin P. Pharmacotherapy for tonic-clonic seizures. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014;15(10):1417-26. doi:10.1517/14656566.2014.915029
Gursahani R, Gupta N. The adolescent or adult with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Ann Indian Acad Neurol. 2012;15(2):81-8. doi:10.4103/0972-2327.94988
Dobesberger J, Ristić AJ, Walser G, et al. Duration of focal complex, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic, and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures–A video-EEG analysis. Epilepsy Behav. 2015;49:111-7. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.03.023
Rheims S, Ryvlin P. Pharmacotherapy for tonic-clonic seizures. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014;15(10):1417-26. doi:10.1517/14656566.2014.915029
Dobesberger J, Ristić AJ, Walser G, et al.Duration of focal complex, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic, and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures–A video-EEG analysis.Epilepsy Behav. 2015 Aug;49:111-7. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.03.023.Rheims S, Ryvlin P.Pharmacotherapy for tonic-clonic seizures.Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014 Jul;15(10):1417-26. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2014.915029.
Dobesberger J, Ristić AJ, Walser G, et al.Duration of focal complex, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic, and primarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures–A video-EEG analysis.Epilepsy Behav. 2015 Aug;49:111-7. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.03.023.
Rheims S, Ryvlin P.Pharmacotherapy for tonic-clonic seizures.Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2014 Jul;15(10):1417-26. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2014.915029.
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