What is an Epileptic Seizure?

Definition, Symptoms, and Demographics for Epilepsy

Sep 2, 2006 Jennifer Gerics

Certain signs and symptoms indicate epilepsy, a common neurological illness. This disorder can strike at any age, for different reasons.

An Epileptic Seizure

Seizures are defined as sudden changes in the electrical functioning of the brain, resulting in altered behaviors. These usually happen in the cortex, or outside rim of the brain. An epileptic seizure has a definite beginning, middle, and end. It is thought to be the result of a brain injury, infection, heredity, or just idiopathic, or with no known cause. If you have one seizure, you have a fifty percent chance of having a second one in the next six months. If you have a second seizure, the likelihood of return goes up to 80%. Epilepsy is said to be the result of a person having two or more of these seizures.

Who Gets Epilepsy

Epilepsy affects all age groups. It tends to affect men more than women. In children, the cause is generally unknown or genetic, and the risk is highest in the first year of life, declining until the age of ten. People aged 10-55 will most likely develop epileptic seizures from brain injuries or infections (trauma, tumors, encephalitis/meningitis.) As people approach 55+ years, the risk for epilepsy again increases because of strokes, brain tumors, or Alzheimer's disease (all sources of injury to the brain.) At every stage in life, 50% of epileptic seizures are of unknown origin.

Some Epileptic Seizure Symptoms

Early Symptoms (auras or warnings)

• unusual smell, sound, taste, or visual perception
• fear/panic
• dizziness, headache, lightheadedness, nausea, numbness
• sometimes no warnings

Seizure Symptoms

• confusion, loss of consciousness, spaceyness
• visual, smelling,and/or hearing difficulties
• twitching, shaking, stiffening, tongue biting, incontinence, falling, drooling, eyelid fluttering

After Seizure Symptoms

• confusion, memory loss
• writing difficulties
• depression, fear, frustration/shame
• nausea, headache, pain, thirst, weakness
• injuries
• exhaustion/sleeping

For more information, read Childhood Epilepsy and Epilepsy Support Groups.

For related information, check out the Neurological ARTICLE INDEX and Blog.

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The copyright of the article What is an Epileptic Seizure? in General Medicine is owned by Jennifer Gerics. Permission to republish What is an Epileptic Seizure? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Comments

Apr 26, 2008 8:41 AM

Guest :

Im a disabled veteran and have peripheral neuropathy upper and lower also have autonomic neuropathy problems. I was involved in a car accident in 1970 while transporting a prisoner in the Marine Corps. The vehicle went off the road and hit a concrete wall, I was half asleep in the back seat, I went forward hitting the front seat and went unconsious. I remember waking in the hospital having 8 stitches in my forehead.
Today Im 57 I recently found that not only do I have severe headaches but hydrocephalus and my neck C-2 thru C-7 have stenosis but Im starting to have what I think are seizures.

I sit in front of the TV relaxed or talking to my wife and my body will freeze, my eyes roll back Im told and from what I remember everything is locked up except for my thinking, I can still think, I can't see but I can think. I thgink for a split second I passed over as I remember it was very bright but saw no one nor spoke to anyone, I could not hear anything either as my wife said she was talking to me and the TV was on and the kids were making noise as usual. After about 6 seconds I returned. This happened in 3 times in February 2008 and while asleep but being asleep I don't really remember only that it was simular to those in February.

I would appreciate any help, you may contact me at mrkkk@bellsouth.net

Thank You

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