Many patients have an aura (a sensory warning sign) before the seizure. This can include vision, taste, smell, or sensory changes, hallucinations, or dizziness.

The seizure itself involves:

• Loss of consciousness or fainting, usually lasting between 30 seconds and 5 minutes
• General muscle contraction and rigidity (tonic posture), usually lasting 15 - 20 seconds
• Violent rhythmic muscle contraction and relaxation (clonic movement), usually lasting for 1 -2 minutes
• Biting the cheek or tongue, clenched teeth or jaw
• Incontinence (loss of urine or stool control)
• Stopped breathing or difficulty breathing during seizure
• Blue skin color

Almost all people lose consciousness, and most people have both tonic and clonic muscle activity.

After the seizure, the person usually has:

• Normal breathing
• Sleepiness that lasts for 1 hour or longer
• Loss of memory (amnesia) regarding events surrounding the seizure episode
• Headache
• Drowsiness
• Confusion, temporary and mild
• Weakness for up to 24 - 48 hours following seizure (This is called Todd's paralysis.)