Seizures
Disclaimer: Not medical or professional advice. Always seek the advice of your physician.
A seizure is a sudden electrical disturbance in the brain that causes uncontrollable muscle contractions. Even healthy people can experience a seizure. However, if multiple seizures occur within a short time period, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Some seizures can last for a few seconds, so they go unnoticed by others. Moreover, the person experiencing it may not realize that they even had it. It is estimated that about 2% of the population has at least one epileptic seizure during their lifetime.
Symptoms of a Seizure
- Sudden feelings of fear and anxiety
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Vision changes
- Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs
- Headache
- Deja vu
- Drooling or foaming at the mouth
- Rapid, involuntary movements of the eyes
- Loss of consciousness or confusion
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
Types of Seizures
Clonic Seizures
These seizures involve muscle contractions alternating with periods of muscle relaxation. During the seizure attack, people tend to bend their arms and legs, arching their backs. They stutter and have difficulty speaking due to spasms of respiratory muscles.
Tonic Seizures
This type of seizure causes a short episode of muscle tension. The peak of seizure attack gradually increases, concentrating in the upper and lower extremities. Sometimes seizures occur in the abdominal area, neck, and face. They are accompanied by sharp pain, stiffness in the muscles, and changes in facial expressions. These attacks are characterized by clenched teeth, tense trunk, straight legs, and bent arms.
Tonic-clonic Seizures
They combine the mechanisms of tonic and clonic seizures. The first stage of seizure starts with pupil dilation, eye-rolling, and severe muscle tension. The second stage is characterized by a clonic phase followed by periods of muscle relaxation. The symptoms of the third stage include foaming at the mouth and excessive saliva production.
Causes of Seizures
- Excessive use of alcohol, drugs (diuretics, antidepressants, etc.), caffeine, nicotine
- Fever. Most often, it triggers seizures in children under 4 years of age
- Brain tumors
- Altered cerebral blood flow, traumatic brain injury
- Severe dehydration, violation of water-salt metabolism, trace element deficiencies
- Extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, prolonged psychological stress
- Intensive physical exertion or muscle strain
- Pinched nerves
- Chemical poisoning
- Infections
- Hypothermia or overheating
- Increased genetic predisposition to seizures
Most seizures (up to 90%) occur only once, but they manage to leave unpleasant memories for years. If seizure attacks happen over and over again, they can signal serious health problems. Do not delay in seeking medical care.
When does a Seizure Become Life-threatening?
- It lasts longer than five minutes
- The person does not regain consciousness after the seizure
- Repeated seizures occur one right after another
- The person seizing is pregnant
The person sustains an injury while having the seizure.