Myoclonic seizures
Myoclonic means ‘muscle jerk’. Muscle jerks are not always due to epilepsy (for example, some people have them as they fall asleep).
Myoclonic seizures are brief but can happen in clusters (many happening close together in time), and often happen shortly after waking.
In myoclonic seizures the person is conscious, but they are classified as generalised seizures. This is because the person is likely to have other seizures (such as tonic clonic seizures) as well as myoclonic seizures.
Information produced: November 2023
Tonic and atonic seizures
In an atonic seizure (or 'drop attack') the person’s muscles suddenly relax and they become floppy. If they are standing they often fall, usually forwards, and may injure the front of their head or face. Like tonic seizures, atonic seizures tend to be brief and happen without warning. With both tonic and atonic seizures people usually recover quickly, apart from possible injuries.
Tonic clonic seizures
These are the seizures that most people think of as epilepsy. the person becomes unconscious their body goes stiff and if they are standing up they usually fall backwards. they jerk and shake as their muscles relax and tighten rhythmically.
Focal aware seizures
In focal aware seizures (FAS), previously called simple partial seizures, the person is conscious (aware and alert) and will usually know that something is happening and will remember the seizure afterwards.
Focal impaired awareness seizures
Focal impaired awareness seizures (FIAS) affect a bigger part of one hemisphere (side) of the brain than focal aware seizures. This seizure was previously called complex partial seizures.