Grand mal seizure causes

Grand mal seizure

Grand mal seizure is also well-known under the name tonic-clonic seizure and it is a medical term for the occurrence of the loss of consciousness and strong muscle contractions. In the majority of cases, people who suffer from grand mal seizure usually do not have another one ever. Nevertheless, it is recommended to use medications for this disorder every day in order to control it.

Two stages of grand mal seizures

Grand mal seizure is characterized by two phases; the first stage is known as tonic stage, while the second is known as clonic stage. Tonic stage lasts about 10 to 20 seconds and is featured by the person’s loss of conciseness and a sudden muscle contraction that causes the person to fall down. Clonic stage, which usually lasts about two minutes or less, is characterized by rhythmic contractions of the muscles that alternately flex and relax.

Causes of grand mal seizure

The proper function of the muscles depends on the electrical signals that are sent form the neurons in the brain. In the case of grand mal seizure, the neurons are affected and they cannot properly send these signals, so that their transmission to the muscles cannot be controlled. Because the neurons in the brain are affected, this type of seizure affects the entire body and not only some part, such as, for example, limbs or legs.

The causes for the occurrence of grand mal seizure are various and numerous, such as head injury, meningitis, insufficient magnesium and calcium, as well as stroke and brain tumors. In many cases, people who suffered from a severe head injury had this type of seizure later in their life. Physical injuries to the head may cause improper functioning of the neurons in the brain.

Another cause for the appearance of a grand mal seizure is meningitis, which is a medical term for the inflammation of the membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis may be caused by a virus or bacterial infection, and the latter is more dangerous and must be treated promptly. Otherwise, meningitis may affect the neurons in the brain and cause violent muscle contractions.

The abnormal change of electrical activity in the brain may be caused by the low levels of magnesium and calcium in the blood. Furthermore, stroke is also one of the potential causes for the occurrence of grand mal seizure. It is so because the brain is not sufficiently supplied by the blood. People who suffer for a brain tumorare usually at high risk for the incidence of a grand mal seizure because an abnormal mass of tissue in the brain may cause this disorder.