A tonic-clonic seizure is what most people think of when they think of a seizure. A tonic-clonic seizure usually begins on both sides of the brain, but can start in one side and spread to the whole brain. A person loses consciousness, muscles stiffen, and jerking movements are seen.Click to see full answer. Similarly, you may ask, what happens in the brain during a tonic clonic seizure? Generalized tonic-clonic seizures This disturbance is caused by electrical signals spreading through the brain inappropriately. In the tonic stage of the seizure, your muscles stiffen, you lose consciousness, and you may fall down. The clonic stage consists of rapid muscle contractions, sometimes called convulsions.Furthermore, what happens during a tonic seizure? A tonic seizure causes a sudden stiffness or tension in the muscles of the arms, legs or trunk. The stiffness lasts about 20 seconds and is most likely to happen during sleep. Tonic seizures that occur while the person is standing may cause them to fall. After the seizure, the person may feel tired or confused. In this manner, how long does it take to recover from a tonic clonic seizure? The length of time it takes to recover after a tonic-clonic seizure is different from one person to the next. Some people feel better after an hour or 2, but for some people it can take several days to feel ‘back to normal’.Can you die from a tonic clonic seizure?Tonic-clonic seizures are a severe type of epileptic seizure. These can cause sudden loss of consciousness, convulsions, and loss of bladder control. The chance of sudden death is also higher in individuals whose seizures begin at a young age. However, unexpected death is extremely uncommon in young children.