Overview
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) defines convulsions as:
“A condition in which muscles contract and relax quickly and cause uncontrolled shaking of the body. Head injuries, high fevers, some medical disorders, and certain drugs can cause convulsions. They may also occur during seizures caused by epilepsy.” 1
The distinction between convulsions and seizures pertains to brain activity, with the latter being the result of electrical disturbances. The stereotypical depiction of seizures in media almost always involves convulsions, but absence seizures involve lapses in consciousness that can just appear as a frozen blank expression. Convulsions can happen as a result of the sudden drop in blood pressure associated with fainting, which can temporarily deprive the brain of oxygen and consequently trigger convulsions.