Call 911 or your local emergency services.Īlso seek immediate medical attention if someone: If the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, it’s considered a medical emergency. Tonic-clonic seizures tend to resolve on their own. Loosen any restrictive clothing or accessories, such as a belt.Place something soft, such as a pillow, under their head.Clear the area around them so there are no sharp or hard objects nearby.Make sure there’s nothing in their mouth and that their airway isn’t obstructed.If you see someone having a tonic-clonic seizure, take the actions below: What should you do if someone is having a tonic-clonic seizure? Tonic-clonic seizures usually last 1 to 3 minutes, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. Some people also develop a severe headache after a seizure. loss of bladder or bowel control during or after the seizureĪfter a tonic-clonic seizure, you might fall asleep and wake up feeling confused or sleepy.jerking movements of the arms and legs ( convulsions).moaning, screaming, or crying out involuntarily.

The symptoms associated with tonic activity include: Here are the symptoms associated with each stage: AuraĪn aura can bring on abnormal sensations, including: For people who experience it, the aura acts as a warning sign that a seizure is about to start. Each stage causes different symptoms.īefore tonic and clonic activity begins, some people experience what’s known as an aura. Tonic-clonic seizures get their name from their two distinct stages: tonic and clonic. What are the symptoms of a tonic-clonic seizure? This depends in part on your history of epilepsy or other health conditions. This type of seizure is rarely seen in children under 2 years old.Ī tonic-clonic seizure may be a medical emergency. If you have epilepsy, you might begin to have tonic-clonic seizures in late childhood or adolescence. These seizures are typically brought about by a triggering event that temporarily alters your brain functioning. Sometimes, people may have a seizure if their body has developed a dependence on a substance and they stop using it.Ī one-time seizure that’s not related to epilepsy could happen at any stage of your life. However, a seizure can also occur because you have a high fever, head injury, or low blood sugar. Seizures, specifically tonic-clonic seizures, are commonly associated with epilepsy.Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 5.1 million people in the United States have a history of epilepsy, and about 3.4 million have active epilepsy. The spread of these signals in your brain can make you lose consciousness and have severe muscle contractions. Often this will result in signals being sent to your muscles, nerves, or glands. This disturbance is caused by an atypical spread of electrical signals through the brain. A seizure that starts by affecting one side of your brain but spreads to involve both sides is called a focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizure. A generalized tonic-clonic seizure is a disturbance in the functioning of both sides of your brain.

Headache after seizure