Grand mal seizures are also known as tonic-clonic or generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures. They affect both sides of the brain at once, causing loss of consciousness along with muscle stiffening and jerking. These seizures usually last 1-3 minutes. Any seizure lasting over 5 minutes is considered a medical emergency Show Full Answer

Grand mal seizures are also known as tonic-clonic or generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures. They affect both sides of the brain at once, causing loss of consciousness along with muscle stiffening and jerking. These seizures usually last 1-3 minutes. Any seizure lasting over 5 minutes is considered a medical emergency. Since grand mals cause loss of consciousness, the person having them usually can't tell when they are coming on.

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