Seizures occur when electrical impulses in the brain become disruptive, causing the patients to lose some or all control of their body. Although commonly associated with epilepsy, not all seizures are epileptic in nature. Below we’ll try to discuss everything you need to know about seizures, thus, lifting the veil on this poorly understood condition.
Examining Everything You Need to Know about Seizures:
Seizures occur when suddenly there is a surge of electrical impulses in the brain. Usually, the effect of this can be seen in how a person looks or behaves, and it is usually short lived. During a seizure, a lot of different things can happen, from a brief "zoning out" to walking around in circles, and from falling and convulsing to day dreaming. Essentially, whatever the body is capable of doing when that person is conscious, it is able to do during a seizure. The difference is that the patient no longer has control over his or her brain and the body.
During a seizure, complex chemical changes take place in the nerve cells in the brain. Brain cells either stop or excite other cells from sending messages. This means that there is too much activity in certain parts of the brain, and too little activity in other parts. Thus, as part of everything you need to know about seizures, you must understand that seizures are symptomatic of an underlying disease or disorder.
Seizures and Epilepsy:
Seizures are commonly associated with epilepsy, although they aren't always related. Research has shown that:
– Around 50% of people who experience a seizure for the first time, will have a second one within half a year.
– In patients where the cause of the seizure is known, the likelihood of their having another one is twice as large as what it is for those who do not know the cause of their seizure. Common causes include an epilepsy diagnosis, a past stroke, or another type of brain injury.
– Those who have experienced two seizures, have an 80% chance of having more seizures in the future.
– If a seizure happened for the first time after a traumatic injury or brain infection, then it is more common for people to develop epilepsy. Usually, it will take several weeks or even months for this to become evident.
Someone who is diagnosed with neurological abnormalities is much more likely to have seizures as well. Doctors can determine whether these abnormalities are present through a variety of tests.
EEG or electroencephalogram tests are a common way for physicians to determine what is happening in a person's brain. The results can help them predict the likelihood of further seizures. EEGs will show typical patterns that point to epilepsy, and if those patterns are present, the chance of being diagnosed and experiencing future seizures doubles.
Key factors to remember:
– Epilepsy is neurological disorder, the fourth most common in this nation, affecting people regardless of age.
– Epilepsy happens when someone's seizures are unpredictable and may lead to other problems as well.
– The condition is a spectrum condition, which means different people experience it in different ways, and require different forms of treatment.
– There is a lot of misunderstanding in the public perception of the condition, which results into a number of significant challenges.