Electrical Signals Imbalance Leads To The Formation Of Grand Mal Seizures
Grand mal seizure or generalized tonic-clonic seizure is one of the most common and dangerous seizure attacks. It usually involves muscle contraction, rigidity and loss of consciousness. There are many electrical signals responsible for proper functioning of our brain and any imbalance in them often leads to the formation of seizure. Grand mal seizure affects your whole body and can be once or can be repetitive in nature. It always tends to follow a pattern of symptoms that can be easily recognized. It starts with aura, abnormal sights, hallucinations, smells and tastes.
Kinds Of Symptoms Of Grand Mal Seizure You Should Be Aware Of
There are different kinds of symptoms that grand mal seizure attack shows. They can be classified in to two different categories:-
- Aura Symptoms
- Tonic –clonic symptoms
Grand Mal Seizure - High Muscle Contraction For Few Minutes
Aura marks the initial stage of grand mal seizure and is very shocking too. It’s very difficult for a person to undergo such painful attacks in his life. It can be visible through the following:-
- There are abnormal sensations in your body which you find very irritating.
- There is a change in taste, smell and hearing activities.
- You might feel very dizzy or undergo lightheadedness.
- You start to have hallucinations.
- There can be a sudden change in your vision or you might find yourself blind for some time.
These are few symptoms that you can notice having an aura grand mal seizure.
Tonic-clonic symptoms are often caused after aura stage of grand mal seizure. Following symptoms could be noticed:-
- You can bite your cheek or tongue.
- You might lose the sensation to urinate.
- You might notice very high muscle contraction for few minutes, it is very painful yet a significant symptom of grand mal seizure.
- There could be muscle spasms and stiff muscle for another few minutes. This is the often the last stage of tonic-clonic severe grand mal seizure attack.
There might also be chances of life threatening seizure attacks, in that cases immediately seek assistance from the nearest hospital.
Different Mechanism Causing Grand Mal Seizure
According to different studies conducted there are three main mechanisms responsible for creation of grand mal seizure in our brain. Firstly, it could be because of abnormal hyperexcitable cortexresponse to the normal thalamic input. Secondly, trigger movement of the primary subcortical and lastly, abnormal behavior of the cortical innervations from the subcortical structures. Neurons released from the high-voltage electrical discharge are known to be hyperexcitable and they always remain at a stage of partial depolarization. This often becomes the cause of disrupted electrical activity and a person becomes prone to seizure attacks.
Antiepileptic Drugs Such As Valproate Are Quite Effective For Treating Grand Mal Seizure
Be Alert! Insist On A Timely Check Up From Your Doctor Even If You Had One Grand Mal Seizure Attack
Usually a simple grand mal seizure does not require treatment but you should always insist on a timely medical check up to ensure that it does not develop more. Though, there are three main treatments that are often prescribed that are usage of medicine, specialized surgeries and electrical facsimile. Antiepileptic drugs are quite effective for treating grand mal seizure and also if the case is serious brain surgery is done to remove the epileptic focus. So always be cautious about different symptoms and get the necessary help as soon as possible because a delay may be very harmful in controlling seizure.
Check If Patient Is Showing Any New Sign Or Symptom During Grand Mal Seizure
Brain transfers the information from one cell to another through firing tiny electric signals. The firing pattern and location of these signals determine how busy the brain is and what activity it is performing. Seizure is a kind of abnormality in the brain functioning and this happens due to the disturbance in the firing pattern in the brain’s signal. This may happen to an isolated part of the brain or to the whole of the brain. Generalized seizure is a type in which whole of the brain is affected with electrical disturbance. There is nothing fixed with grand mal seizure. You may have it once in your lifetime or multiple times in a single day.
Grand Mal Seizure’s Symptoms Usually Follow A Systematic Pattern
Signs And Symptoms That Can Be Seen During Grand Mal Seizure
Stiffness and jerking limbs are easily recognizable symptoms of grand mal seizure. It usually has a pattern of symptoms. Change in sensation, loss of consciousness, contraction of muscles (tonic phase) and then a rhythmic muscle spasm (clonic phase) is a systematic pattern which can be seen in a grand mal seizure course. The patient during the seizure experience impaired breathing that decreases blood oxygen level in them. This decreased level of oxygen gives the patient abnormal sights and dusky appearance.
Possible Symptoms During A Grand Mal Seizure
There are a series of symptoms which occurs to few of the people suffering with grand mal seizure:
Aura – the seizure does not come all the sudden. You get a warning feeling before a grand mal seizure. These warning feelings are known as ‘aura’. One may experience strange smell or change of vision and other may feel hallucinations or dizziness before a grand mal seizure. These sensory warning feeling differ from person to person and are known as alarming signal of an oncoming seizure.
A Loud Cry – some people may scream out at the beginning of the seizure as with seizure the muscles around the neck seize, forcing the air out.
Loss of bowel and bladder control – loss of bowel and bladder may happen when seizure run its course.
Convulsions and Unconsciousness – loss of consciousness is common with grand mal seizure and it persists up to a few minutes once the muscle contraction has ended.
Puzzlement – when grand mal seizure ends initiates a period of stupefaction. The stage is usually termed as post-ictal confusion.
Consult Your Doctor Whenever You Witness A New Sign Or Symptom In You
Seek For A Medical Advice
The grand mal seizure subsides in a few minute leaving the patient confused. Patient at post-ictal stage should be examined for injuries and their complete neurological examination should also be recorded. The patient usually complains for headache and sore muscles but that is usual and does not indicated anything serious. When a grand mal seizure lasts longer than usual or repeating itself in cluster nature it should be considered a medical emergency and should at once seek for an emergency medical care. To avoid complications consult the doctor every time you witness a new sign or symptom in the patient during grand mal seizure.
Symptoms and Signs of a Grand Mal/Tonic Clonic Seizure
- Sudden Cry
- Falling Down
- Rigidity-stiffness
- Thrashing, jerking
- No control of bowel or bladder
- Shallow breathing, lips may be bluish
- Short periods of suspended breathing
- White or pink froth from mouth
- Gurgling, grunting noises
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Usually Lasts no longer than X minutes
DANGEROUS: CALL 911
- Seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes
- Another seizure starts immediately after the
- first seizure
- Bluish color to lips AFTER seizure ends
- Loss of consciousness
- Stops breathing
EXPECTED AFTER SEIZURE BEHAVIOR
- Tiredness
- Weakness
- Sleeping, difficult to arouse
- May be somewhat confused
- Regular breathing
- Can last a few minutes or hours