A seizure attack is a sudden, uncontrolled burst of electrical activity in the brain that can cause temporary changes in behavior, movements, feelings, and levels of consciousness. Seizures can be caused by anything that disrupts the communication pathways between neurons in the brain, including genetic changes, infections, head injuries, strokes, and other illnesses. Some seizures may be provoked by a specific cause, such as a high fever or withdrawal from drugs or alcohol, while others may be unprovoked and caused by epilepsy.

Symptoms of a seizure can vary based on the type of seizure and can range from mild to severe. Some common symptoms include:

• Uncontrollable shaking or convulsions
• Stiffening or twitching of muscles
• Loss of consciousness or altered consciousness level
• Sensations such as unusual smells or tastes
• Changes in behavior or movements

If someone is having a seizure, it is important to prevent them from injuring themselves and stay with them until the seizure has finished. Call an ambulance if the seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes, if the person is unresponsive for more than 5 minutes afterwards, or if a second seizure quickly follows the first. After a seizure has ended, there is a recovery phase before a person returns to their normal state. During this phase, a person may be confused, tired, or exhausted, and may feel weak, sick, or anxious.

There are many different types of seizures, including:

• Generalized seizures, which involve abnormal electrical activity on both sides of the brain and can cause tonic-clonic seizures (formerly known as grand mal seizures) or absence seizures (formerly known as petit mal seizures)
• Focal seizures, which involve electrical activity surges in one part of the brain and can cause focal aware seizures (formerly known as simple partial seizures) or focal impaired awareness seizures (formerly known as complex partial seizures)
• Atonic seizures, also known as "drop attacks," which cause people to lose control of muscles in their body and drop to the g...