What is a partial seizure?

With a partial seizure the burst of electrical activity stays in one part of the brain. Therefore, you tend to have localised or 'focal' symptoms. Different parts of the brain control different functions and so symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected.

Simple partial seizures

In this type of seizure you may have muscular jerks or strange sensations in one arm or leg. You may feel, hear, see, smell, or taste odd sensations. Some people develop pins and needles in one part of the body. However, you do not lose consciousness or awareness. A simple partial seizure usually lasts just a few seconds or minutes. For each individual, the same movement or sensation tends to recur each time a seizure occurs.

Complex partial seizures

During this type of partial seizure, you are not aware of your surroundings, or what you are doing. In effect, you have a partial loss of consciousness (which differs from a simple partial seizure). This type of seizure can arise from any part of the brain but most commonly arises from a temporal lobe (a part of the brain). Therefore, this type is sometimes called 'temporal lobe seizures'.

The temporal lobes of the brain help to deal with mood and 'behaviour'. Therefore, you may have strange feelings, sensations, and emotions during a complex partial seizure. It may feel like being in a dream. Your surroundings may appear strange or oddly familiar. It may be difficult to explain the feelings or sensations that occur. To an onlooker, you may appear to be in a trance or behave strangely for a few seconds or minutes. For example, you may wander with no apparent purpose. Some people smack their lips, fumble at clothes, appear to fidget, swallow repeatedly, or do other repetitive movements.

Sometimes a partial seizure develops into a generalised 'convulsive' seizure. This is called a secondary generalised seizure.