Epilepsy

Diseases, Disorders, and More: A Medical Quiz A partial seizure originates in a specific area of the brain. Partial seizures consist of abnormal sensations or movements, and a lapse of consciousness may occur. Epileptic individuals with partial seizures may experience unusual sensations called auras that precede the onset of a seizure. Auras may include unpleasant odours or tastes, the sensation that unfamiliar surroundings seem familiar (déjà vu), and visual or auditory hallucinations that last from a fraction of a second to a few seconds. The individual may also experience intense fear, abdominal pain or discomfort, or an awareness of increased Complex partial seizures, also called psychomotor seizures, are characterized by a clouding of consciousness and by strange, repetitious movements called automatisms. On recovery from the seizure, which usually lasts from one to three minutes, the individual has no memory of the attack, except for the aura. Occasionally, frequent mild complex partial seizures may merge into a prolonged period of confusion, which can last for hours or days with fluctuating levels of awareness and strange behaviour. Complex partial attacks may be caused by lesions in the frontal lobe or the Studies of Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Generalized seizures are the result of abnormal electrical activity in most or all of the brain. This type of seizure is Generalized tonic-clonic seizures, sometimes referred t...

• You can’t swallow your tongue during a seizure. It's physically impossible. • You should NEVER force something into the mouth of someone having a seizure. Absolutely not! Forcing something into the mouth of someone having a seizure is a good way to chip teeth, cut gums, or even break someone's jaw. • DON'T restrain someone having a seizure. Most seizures end in seconds or a few minutes and will end on their own. • The correct Stay. Safe. Side. STAY with the person and start timing the seizure. Keep the person SAFE. Turn the person onto their SIDE if they are not awake and aware. Do NOT put anything in their mouth. Do NOT restrain. Stay with them until they are awake and alert after the seizure. Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes; repeated seizures; difficulty breathing; seizure occurs in water; person is injured is injured, pregnant or sick; person does not return to their usual state, first time seizure; or the person asks for medical help. • Epilepsy is NOT contagious. You simply can't catch epilepsy from another person. • Anyone can develop epilepsy. Seizures start for the first time in • Most people with epilepsy CAN DO the same things that people without epilepsy can do. However, some people with frequent seizures may not be able to work, • People with epilepsy • Epilepsy is a chronic medical problem that for many people can be successfully treated. Unfortunately, treatment doesn't work for everyone. AT LEAST 1 million people in the United States ha...

Epilepsy is a brain disease where nerve cells don’t signal properly, which causes seizures. Seizures are uncontrolled bursts of electrical activities that change sensations, behaviors, awareness and muscle movements. Although epilepsy can’t be cured, many treatment options are available. Up to 70% of people with epilepsy can manage the disease with medications. Overview What is epilepsy? Epilepsy is a long-term (chronic) disease that causes repeated seizures due to abnormal electrical signals produced by damaged brain cells. A burst of uncontrolled electrical activity within brain cells causes a seizure. Seizures can include changes to your awareness, muscle control (your muscles may twitch or jerk), sensations, emotions and behavior. Epilepsy is also called a seizure disorder. Who does epilepsy affect? Anyone, of any age, race or sex, can develop epilepsy. How common is epilepsy? In the U.S., about 3.4 million people have epilepsy. Of this number, 3 million are adults and 470,000 are children. There are 150,000 new cases of epilepsy in the U.S. each year. Worldwide, about 65 million people have epilepsy. What happens in your brain when you have epilepsy? The cells in your brain send messages to and receive messages from all areas of your body. These messages are transmitted via a continuous electrical impulse that travels from cell to cell. Epilepsy disrupts this rhythmic electrical impulse pattern. Instead, there are bursts of electrical energy — like an unpredictable li...

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures. Your doctor may diagnose you with epilepsy if you have two unprovoked seizures or one unprovoked seizure with a high risk of more. Not all seizures are the result of epilepsy. Seizures may relate to a brain injury or a family trait, but often the cause is completely unknown. The word "epilepsy" simply means the same thing as "seizure disorders." It does not state anything about the cause of the person's seizures or their severity.

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes unprovoked, recurrent seizures. A seizure is a sudden rush of abnormal electrical activity in your brain. Doctors diagnose epilepsy when you have two or more seizures with no other identifiable cause. Epilepsy affects Anyone can develop epilepsy, but it The two main • generalized seizures • focal seizures Generalized seizures affect your whole brain. Focal, or partial seizures, affect only one part of your brain. A mild seizure may be difficult to recognize. It may only last a few seconds, and you may remain awake while it happens. Stronger seizures can cause spasms and uncontrollable muscle twitches. They can last from a few seconds to several minutes and may cause confusion or loss of consciousness. Afterward, you may have no memory of a seizure happening. There’s currently no cure for epilepsy, but it can be managed with medications and other strategies. Seizures are the main symptom of epilepsy. Symptoms differ from person to person and according to the type of seizure. Focal (partial) seizures A focal aware seizure (previously called • alterations to sense of taste, smell, sight, hearing, or touch • • tingling and twitching of limbs Focal unaware seizures (previously called • staring blankly • unresponsiveness • performing repetitive movements Generalized seizures Subtypes include: • Absence seizures. • Tonic seizures. Tonic seizures cause sudden stiffness in the muscles in your legs, arms, or trunk. • Atonic seizures. ...

Seizures have a beginning, middle, and end. Not all parts of a seizure may be visible or easy to separate from each other. Every person with seizures will not have every stage or symptom described below. The symptoms during a seizure usually are stereotypic (occur the same way or similar each time), episodic (come and go), and may be unpredictable. Some people are aware of the beginning of a seizure, possibly as much as hours or days before it happens. On the other hand, some people may not be aware of the beginning and therefore have no warning. Prodrome: Some people may experience feelings, sensations, or changes in behavior hours or days before a seizure. These feelings are generally not part of the seizure, but may warn a person that a seizure may come. Not everyone has these signs, but if they do, the signs can help a person change their activity, make sure to take their Aura: An aura or warning is the first symptom of a seizure and is considered part of the seizure. Often the aura is an indescribable feeling. Other times it’s easy to recognize and may be a change in feeling, sensation, thought, or behavior that is similar each time a seizure occurs. • The aura can also occur alone and may be called a • An aura can occur before a change in awareness or consciousness. • Yet, many people have no aura or warning; the seizure starts with a loss of consciousness or awareness. Common symptoms before a seizure: Awareness, Sensory, Emotional or Thought Changes: • Déjà vu (a f...