SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!
24/7 HELPLINE (903) 212-7500
  • PATIENT PORTAL LOGIN

PhyNet Health PhyNet Health

  • Home
  • Find a Clinic
    • Hughes Springs, TX
    • Longview, TX
    • Jefferson, TX
    • Kilgore, TX
    • Lindale, TX
    • Linden, TX
    • Gladewater, TX
    • Lone Star, TX
    • Tatum, TX
    • Marshall, TX
  • Health Services
    • Primary Care Services
    • Physical Therapy / Rehab
    • Allergy Testing & Treatment
    • Chronic Care Management
    • Remote Monitoring Program
    • Virtual Visit
  • Resources
    • MedlinePlus Wiki
      • Health Topics
    • Home Health Coordination
    • Transitions of Care
    • Insurance Help
  • About Phynet
    • About Phynet
    • PhyNet News
    • Better Together Stories
    • Careers
  • Billing

Health Topics

Skip navigation

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock Locked padlock icon ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine
MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You
  • Health Topics
  • Drugs & Supplements
  • Genetics
  • Medical Tests
  • Medical Encyclopedia
  • About MedlinePlus
  • About MedlinePlus
  • What's New
  • Site Map
  • Customer Support
  • Health Topics
  • Drugs & Supplements
  • Genetics
  • Medical Tests
  • Medical Encyclopedia
Español
You Are Here:
Home →
Health Topics →
Seizures
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/seizures.html

Seizures

On this page

Basics

  • Summary
  • Start Here
  • Diagnosis and Tests
  • Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

  • Specifics
  • Genetics

See, Play and Learn

  • No links available

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Journal Articles

Resources

  • Find an Expert

For You

  • Children
  • Patient Handouts

Summary

Seizures are symptoms of a brain problem. They happen because of sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain. When people think of seizures, they often think of convulsions in which a person's body shakes rapidly and uncontrollably. Not all seizures cause convulsions. There are many types of seizures and some have mild symptoms. Seizures fall into two main groups. Focal seizures, also called partial seizures, happen in just one part of the brain. Generalized seizures are a result of abnormal activity on both sides of the brain.

Most seizures last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes and do not cause lasting harm. However, it is a medical emergency if seizures last longer than 5 minutes or if a person has many seizures and does not wake up between them. Seizures can have many causes, including medicines, high fevers, head injuries and certain diseases. People who have recurring seizures due to a brain disorder have epilepsy.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Start Here

  • Epilepsy and Seizures From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Diagnosis and Tests

  • EEG (Electroencephalogram) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Head CT Video (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

  • Convulsions - first aid - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • First Aid for Seizures (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulation (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

  • Absence Seizure (Petit Mal Seizure) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Frontal Lobe Seizures (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Temporal Lobe Seizure (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Tonic-Clonic (Grand Mal) Seizure (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Genetics

  • 15q13.3 microdeletion: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Ataxia neuropathy spectrum: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Benign familial neonatal seizures: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Childhood absence epilepsy: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Familial focal epilepsy with variable foci: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Malignant migrating partial seizures of infancy: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Molybdenum cofactor deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Myoclonic epilepsy myopathy sensory ataxia: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Seizures From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: Epileptic seizure biophysics: the role of local voltage difference.
  • Article: Pediatric meningioma and seizures: A scoping review.
  • Article: Interictal neural fragility predicts seizure onset zone and surgical outcomes in...
  • Seizures -- see more articles

Find an Expert

  • Find a Doctor (American Epilepsy Society)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke From the National Institutes of Health

Children

  • Febrile Seizures From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
  • Focal Aware Seizures (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
  • Focal Impaired Awareness Seizures (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
  • Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
  • How to Handle a Seizure (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

  • Absence seizure (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Bilateral tonic-clonic seizure (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • EEG (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Epilepsy or seizures - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Febrile seizures (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Focal seizure (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Seizures (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Topic Image

Seizures

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

  • Absence seizure
  • Bilateral tonic-clonic seizure
  • Convulsions - first aid - series
  • CPK isoenzymes test
  • EEG
  • Epilepsy or seizures - discharge
  • Febrile seizures
  • Febrile seizures - what to ask your doctor
  • Focal seizure
  • Seizures

Related Health Topics

  • Epilepsy

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Seizures is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Seizures

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

  • How to Help Someone Who Is Having a Seizure
  • One Family's Journey to Find Epilepsy Answers
  • Understanding Different Kinds of Seizures

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

  • About MedlinePlus
  • What's New
  • Site Map
  • Customer Support
  • Subscribe to RSSRSS
  • Connect with NLM
  • NLM Web Policies
  • Copyright
  • Accessibility
  • Guidelines for Links
  • Viewers & Players
  • HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
  • MedlinePlus Connect for EHRs
  • For Developers
National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health
Last updated June 29, 2017
Return to top

Patients

  • Find a Clinic
  • Health Services
  • Complex Case Management
  • MA / Medicare Assistance

Quick Links

  • Billing Information
  • Careers
  • About Phynet
  • PhyNet News

Network Links

  • PrimeCareHomeHealth.com
  • PrimeCareNet.com
  • PrimeCareManagers.com
  • Core-Rehab.com

Home Office

4002 Technology Center Longview TX 75605
Phone: (903) 247-0484
Fax: (903) 247-0485
[email protected]
  • PrimeCareHomeHealth.com
  • PrimeCareNet.com
  • PrimeCareManagers.com
  • Core-Rehab.com
  • GET SOCIAL

© 2021 PhyNet Health • All rights reserved
YOUR LIFE. YOUR CHOICE.

TOP