Seizures

Seizures General Information

Every person should be very well informed in what concerns the disease he or she is suffering from. Knowing all the positive and negative aspects of this type of medical condition may help the patient to avoid severe complications that could endanger his/her life. Seizures are considered more symptoms of a brain disorder that appear suddenly, because of an unusual electrical activity of the brain. This type of disorder is very worrying and must be very well managed because if it recurs as a result of a brain disorder, the patient may develop epilepsy.

When people think of this health problem, they often visualize convulsions in which the body of a person shakes rapidly and with no control. Not all Seizures lead to convulsions. There are various types and most of them have really mild signs and symptoms. This type of medical disorder was divided in two main categories, focal or partial (when only a part of the brain is affected) and general (when both parts of the brain present abnormal activity). The normal Seizures last from half a minute to less than three minutes and usually do not provoke lasting harm. If more than 5 minutes have passed and the person does not wake up between the episodes, then this disorder turns into a medical emergency. The causes that lead to the development of this sudden behavior due to excessive electrical of the brain are numerous and vary from medicines, to severe injuries of the head, high fever and several diseases.

Seizures Symptoms

If you are a patient suffering from this type of medical condition you should be well informed about all the aspects of your disease. We will present you a list of the most common signs and symptoms of the disorder, but if you still have questions, we advise you to contact a doctor or another person who has the necessary training to give you the information you need. Seizures are usually involuntary sudden and uncontrollable changes of the body movement, sensation, behavior, function or awareness. These changes can last from a few seconds to continuous convulsions called status epilepticus that can not be stopped without medical intervention. This last stage is very dangerous for the patient’s life because if a doctor does not intervene, the patient may continue to have the convulsions for couple of days.

This type of medical condition is described as involuntary and sudden powerful contractions of certain muscle groups along with loss of consciousness. Seizures may also have different subtle forms that can be noticed only by a trained specialist, for example: marching numbness of one part of the body, sparkling flashes, a strange epigastric feeling, a brief long term loss of memory, sensation of fear, discharging or sensing an unpleasant odor similar to alcohol and produced by the gastrointestinal organs, total state of confusion etc. In some cases, these lead to suicide during episodes of Seizures. This problem of the electrical activity of the brain can be sensory, emotional, motor, autonomic or cognitive. During the brain recovery, the short term memory may be lost.

Seizures Treatment

Seizures represent a very delicate health problem that requires careful and close medical attention. If you start experiencing any of the signs and symptoms that we have listed above that may indicate you suffer from this terrible condition, then we strongly advise you to contact your health care provider and ask for help. If the attacks do not last long, your life is not in danger, but you still must look for medical guidance. In the case that the convulsions do not stop after ten minutes, you or your family must call an ambulance because you need to be monitored in an ICU (intensive care unit). In the case you suspect you suffer from Seizures, talk to your doctor immediately. He or she must do several tests to distinguish this condition from other ones causing abnormal movements or collapse. The doctor must know, before proceeding with the adequate treatment option if the Seizures are provoked or not. Medical societies recommend brain imaging with the help of MRI scan, CT (computerized tomography) scan and EEG (electroencephalogram that reveals the brain’s wave activity). Lumbar puncture, blood tests and toxicology screening are really useful to discover the existence of any underlying causes such as drug over dose or Meningitis. When seeing a specialist, a person should ask how to monitor the attacks, if there are certain risk factors that may be avoided, if there is any warning before the attacks, etc. The doctor must help every patient to understand this disease and how to deal with it.

During an attack people bite their tongue and this is why a physical exam may be helpful. This type of medical condition can not be avoided or prevented, but a patient could do several things to protect him/her from getting hurt during an episode. Home care is extremely important. Use of helmets may prevent head injuries. Recreational drugs must be completely avoided. People who suffer from epilepsy must take their medicines as the doctor prescribed and they must avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. They must also wear a medical alert tag. Persons must be protected during Seizures because he/she may not get enough oxygen, may be injured, and may vomit into their lungs, breath fluid or food. A patient must never be left alone until recovery or until professional medical help is available. Health care providers usually prescribe medicines, for example Depakote ER, Diamox, Mebaral, Felbatol, Neurontin, Tegretol, Cerebyx, Epitol or Gabarone. All these medications must be administrated as the doctor ordered and any instructions should be strictly followed. If not, severe complications could appear and the patient’s life may be in real danger.

Seizures often affect the patient’s quality of life, the social life and personal life. Sometimes, patients diagnosed with this disease should receive psychological care and guidance because they often tend to change their behavior, to avoid family and friends and to interiorize. Family members should observe carefully the patient and if the treatment gives the expected results. If not, immediately call the doctor.