BusinessHABWhat to do with Epilepsy and Seizure: If you think you’re having a seizure for the first time, try to stay calm.
Focus on staying safe and avoiding injury.
If possible, move away from furniture and large objects.
Lie down on the floor and rest your head on a folded jacket or pillow.
If you’re driving or operating equipment, stop and find a safe area.
Get expert advice on becoming a successful business owner with BusinessHAB Business category! Our step-by-step articles can help you navigate the ins and outs of the business world, from forming a public limited company (PLC) to measuring company growth of an existing company. Learn how to avoid unionization of a company, identify industry trends, implement efficiency strategies, and more! You can request publication of your article for publication by sending it to us via our Email below. Get the 20 Best Strategized Fuel Tanker Business Plan
Takeaway
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
It’s possible for an adult without a history of epilepsy to experience a seizure.
Potential causes include central nervous system infections, brain tumors, stroke, and brain injuries.
The use or stopping of certain substances, including alcohol, may also trigger a seizure.
The type of seizure depends on the cause.
If you have a seizure for the first time, get medical attention as soon as possible.
A healthcare professional can help determine the underlying cause and provide a treatment plan, if needed.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
There are many types of seizures. Each one causes different physical, emotional, and behavioral changes.
The most commonly known seizure causes uncontrollable shaking and jerking movements.
But in other types, a person might fall down or become very still.
Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell that someone is having a seizure at all.
Not all seizures are due to epilepsy, a condition characterized by recurring seizures.
Some people only have one seizure in their lifetime.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
Recognizing the different symptoms of seizures can help you determine the type.
Read on to learn how seizures are classified, which symptoms they cause, and what to do if a seizure occurs.
What is a seizure?
Neurons, or nerve cells, send information from your brain.
They do this by releasing electrical impulses in an orderly fashion.
If this electrical activity suddenly increases, it’s called a seizure.
It occurs when many neurons rapidly release electrical impulses.
Causing uncontrollable and temporary symptoms.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
Types of seizures
Seizures are classified based on the parts of the brain involved. They include:
Focal seizures
In a focal seizure, the abnormal electrical activity starts in one area of the brain. This used to be called a partial seizure.
Focal seizures are common. Approximately 60 percent of people with epilepsy have focal seizures.
Generalized seizures
Generalized seizures start in both sides of the brain. Sometimes, a focal seizure can become generalized if it spreads.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
Types of focal seizures
Focal seizures occur on one side of the brain. Types include:
Focal aware seizure
During a focal aware seizure, previously called a simple focal seizure, you do not lose consciousness.
You’re aware of yourself and surroundings.
Symptoms include:
- unusual head or eye movements
- dilated pupils
- tightened muscles
- numbness
- tingling
- sensation of crawling on the skin
- hallucinations
- nausea
- sweating
- facial flushing
- fast heart rate
- vision changes
- emotional changes
- difficulty speaking
- sensation of déjà vu
This seizure may last between a few seconds and 2 minutes.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
Focal impaired awareness seizure
A focal impaired awareness seizure happens when your consciousness is partially or completely lost.
It used to be called a complex focal seizure or complex partial seizure.
You won’t be aware of yourself and surroundings, but you’ll seem awake. Possible symptoms include:
- inability to respond
- blank staring
- appearance of daydreaming
- lip smacking
- running
- screaming
- crying or laughing
- repeating words or phrases
- performing involuntary dangerous actions, like walking into traffic
- becoming rigid and still
This seizure typically lasts between 1 to 2 minutes.
After the seizure, you may feel sleepy and confused.
Focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures
This seizure occurs when a focal impaired awareness seizure becomes generalized.
Or spreads to both sides of the brain. It used to be called a secondary generalized seizure.
It involves two phases. The first phase is called the tonic phase.
It causes muscle stiffening. Other symptoms include:
- loss of consciousness
- falling to the floor
- crying
- groaning
- biting your tongue or inside of cheek
- difficulty breathing
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
The second phase is called the clonic phase. It causes jerking arm and leg movements, along with:
- facial twitching
- repeated flexing and relaxing of muscles
- impaired control of the bladder or bowel
This seizure lasts between 30 seconds to 3 minutes.
Gelastic and dacrystic seizures
These seizures begin in the hypothalamus, which is located at the base of the brain.
Gelastic seizures, or laughing seizures, involve involuntary laughing.
Dacrystic seizures cause involuntary crying. You don’t lose consciousness during these seizures.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
Types of generalized seizures
There are many kinds of generalized seizures, including:
Generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTC)
Generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTC), previously called a grand mal seizure, begins on both sides of the brain.
It’s different from a focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizure, which starts on one side and then spreads.
It consists of two stages. The tonic phase involves:
- muscle stiffening
- loss of consciousness
- falling to the floor
- crying
- groaning
- biting your tongue or inside of cheek
- difficulty breathing
The clonic phase causes:
- rapid jerking movements
- facial twitching
- impaired bladder or bowel control
A GTC seizure may last 1 to 3 minutes.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
Tonic seizures
A tonic seizure only causes muscle stiffening. It typically occurs during sleep and involves muscles in the:
- back
- legs
- arms
Tonic seizures may cause people to fall down if they are standing or walking when the seizure occurs.
Clonic seizures
These seizures only involve repeated muscle jerking, or clonic movements.
Absence seizures
Absence seizures, previously called petit mal seizures, are often mistaken for daydreaming.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
There are two types:
- Typical absence seizure. This seizure causes sudden symptoms like blank staring and fluttering eyelids. It generally lasts less than 10 seconds.
- Atypical absence seizure. The symptoms, which develop slowly, may include blank staring, eye blinking, hand motions, and fluttering eyelids. This seizure usually lasts 20 seconds or longer.
Myoclonic seizures
A myoclonic seizure causes sudden muscle jerking without impaired consciousness.
It typically involves muscles on both sides of the body.
Generally, these seizures last for 1 or 2 seconds.
They often happen multiple times within a day or several days.
Atonic seizures
In an atonic seizure, or drop attack, you suddenly lose muscle tone. Symptoms include:
- falling from standing position
- sudden head dropping
- inability to respond
Infantile or epileptic spasms
An epileptic spasm involves brief extending or flexing of the arm, leg, or head.
It commonly affects children younger than 2 years old.
If it occurs in an infant, it’s called an infantile spasm.
These spasms last 1 to 3 seconds.
They usually reoccur every few seconds over 10 minutes, which can happen several times a day.
What to do with Epilepsy and Seizure:
Complications and risks of seizures
Having a seizure can pose safety risks, including:
- falls and slips
- tongue lacerations (from biting)
- pregnancy complications
- drowning (while in water)
- motor vehicle accidents (while driving)
- anxiety
- stress
- depression
- sudden unexpected death (SUDEP)
What to do if you’re having a seizure
Some seizures cause symptoms just before they start.
If you notice these warning signs, here’s what you should do:
-
- Find a safe area without hazardous items or furniture.
- Loosen clothing around your neck.
- Let someone know what is happening.
- If you’re driving, pull over.
- If you’re near water or a heat source, like a campfire, move away.
- Follow your seizure action plan.
- Consider lying down or sitting.
BusinessHAB