Grand mal

Grand mal seizure is a type of seizure that involves a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. It's the type of seizure most people picture when they think about seizures in general. Grand mal seizure is caused by abnormal electrical activity throughout the brain. Most of the time grand mal seizures are caused by epilepsy. In some cases, however, this type of seizure can be triggered by other health problems, such as extremely low blood sugar, a high fever or a stroke.

Causes

Many conditions can cause grand mal seizures, including:

• Epilepsy
• Stroke
• Traumatic brain injury
• Infections such as meningitis
• Congenital brain defects
• Brain tumor
• Low blood sugar
• High fever
• Drug abuse
• Alcohol withdrawal

Symptoms

The symptoms of a grand mal seizure include:

• Sudden loss of consciousness
• Stiffening of the body
• Jerking and twitching of the limbs
• Biting the tongue
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Unresponsiveness after the seizure
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Severe headache

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of grand mal seizures typically involves a combination of medical history, physical and neurological examinations, and tests such as:

• Electroencephalogram (EEG)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Blood tests

Treatment

Treatment for grand mal seizures is aimed at reducing or preventing seizures. This can be achieved through:

• Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)
• Vagus nerve stimulation
• Ketogenic diet
• Surgery

See also

• Epilepsy
• Seizure
• Partial seizure
• Absence seizure
• Status epilepticus

Grand mal Resources
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