no longer grand mal???

[cadsgj]

I have read that "grand mal" seizures are now called "tonic-clonic" seizures. Does anyone know with certainty if this is merely two names of the same type seizure or if grand mal officially did change to tonic clonic... onder:

 

[Cint]

Grand mals are now "officially" called tonic-clonic seizures, and yes, they are one in the same.

 

[cadsgj]

Interesting. I wonder why they changed the name of this type of seizure, and who it is that makes the decision to change the name of a seizure type... hmmm... guess it is just better to know the actual names, thanks Cint.

 

[Krista2882]

Tonic-Clonic is a much more accurate and scientific term. Gran Mal is French for "great illness".

 

[Cint]

Interesting. I wonder why they changed the name of this type of seizure, and who it is that makes the decision to change the name of a seizure type... hmmm... guess it is just better to know the actual names, thanks Cint.

Because there are many, many types of seizures, not just "grand mal" or tonic-clonic and to be diagnosed and treated properly, they need to know which kind of seizure. It could just be a tonic seizure or a clonic seizure or a combined tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure. Check out these websites for more info:

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_tonic
http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_clonic
http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_tonicclonic

 

[cadsgj]

Cint, after reading each of these I can certainly say that the only one I have played with (of the three) is tonic-clonic. Aside from that I pretty much mostly play with partial seizures (complex and simple) in the left temporal lobe. Well, I am not even sure the tonic-clonic for me would count anymore as I do not believe I have had one since my last brain surgery in 2003.

Krista, thanks for the info. I guess for me, grand mal was around with me back in my earlier years and it just stuck in my mind and unfortunately not the part they chopped out

 

[Krista2882]

It's ok, I still call them gran mals too, even though it's less scientific.