INTRODUCTION.
Seizures can be frightening to witness, and confusing to experience. Many people often use the word convulsion to describe seizures, but they are not the same thing. A seizure is caused by sudden, uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain. This activity can affect how a person feels, moves, or behaves.
A convulsion on the other hand, is a type of seizure that involves shaking or jerking movements of the body.
Understanding seizures is important because they can affect anyone, adults, children,or the elderly, and may point to an underlying health condition.
WHAT IS A SEIZURE?
A seizure happens when brain cells send out abnormal signals, leading to temporary changes in awareness, behavior, or physical movement. Some seizures last only a few seconds, while others may last several minutes.
Not every seizure involves falling and shaking. Some people may just stare blankly, lose track of time, or feel strange sensations.
CAUSES OF SEIZURES
Seizures are caused by changes in the way nerve cells in the brain communicate. Nerve cells in the brain create, send and receive electrical impulses. The nerve cells are called neurons. The impulses allow the cells to communicate. Anything that gets in way of the communication pathways can lead to a seizure. Gene changes cause some types of seizures.
Sometimes the following can cause seizures:
- Genetic factor
- Brain tumors
- Congenital birth defect
- Eclampsia
- Head trauma: Injuries to the head can lead to seizure.
- Infections: Brain infections like meningitis or encephalitis are a common cause.
Fever: High fever, especially in young children, can trigger a seizure - Stroke: A stroke can damage the brain and cause a seizure
- High blood pressure
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Medication and drug withdrawal: Stopping or withdrawing from alcohol or certain prescriptions and drugs can cause seizures.
- Illicit drugs
- Lack of sleep
- Stress and dehydration
- Certain medication
SYMPTOMS OF SEIZURES
Seizures symptoms vary based on the type and severity, but may include;
Loss of consciousness
Uncontrollable movements (convulsions, muscle spasm, jerking)Staring
Sudden emotional changes (confusion, fear, anxiety)
Teeth clenching
Drooling
Abnormal eye movement
Loss of bladder or bowel control
Noise making (grunting or snorting)
These symptoms are temporary and only last for a few seconds to minutes.
Most seizures fall into one of two classes called focal or generalized. The classes are based on how and where the brain activity causing the seizure began. If health professionals don’t know how the seizures began, they may say the seizures are of unknown onset.
Focal seizures
Focal seizures result from electrical activity in one area of the brain. This type of seizure can happen with or without passing out, called losing consciousness.
Focal seizures with impaired awareness: These seizures involve a change or loss of consciousness or awareness that feels like being in a dream. During these types of seizures, people may seem awake. But they stare into space and don’t respond to anything around them.
They may repeat movements such as hand rubbing and mouth movements, repeat certain words, or walk in circles. They may not remember the seizure or even know that it happened.
Focal seizures without impaired awareness: These seizures may change emotions. They also may change how things look, smell, feel, taste or sound. But people having a focal seizure don’t pass out.
During these types of seizures, people may feel angry, joyful or sad. Some people have nausea or odd feelings that are hard to describe. These seizures may cause trouble speaking and jerking of a body part such as an arm or a leg. They also may cause sudden symptoms such as tingling, dizziness and seeing flashing lights.
Symptoms of focal seizures may seem like those of other conditions of the brain or nervous system. These other conditions include migraine, mental illness or a condition that affects how the brain manages sleep-wake cycles, called narcolepsy.
Generalized seizures
Seizures that appear to involve all areas of the brain from the time they start are called generalized seizures. Types of generalized seizures include:
Absence seizures: Absence seizures often happen in children. These seizures once were called petit mal seizures. People who have absence seizures most often stare into space or make slight body movements such as eye blinking or lip smacking. The seizures most often last for 5 to 10 seconds.
Absence seizures can happen up to hundreds of times a day. They can come in clusters. And they can cause a brief loss of awareness.
Tonic seizures: Tonic seizures cause muscles to get stiff. These seizures most often affect muscles in the back, arms and legs. People who have these seizures may pass out and fall to the ground.
Atonic seizures: Atonic seizures cause a sudden loss of muscle use, most often in the legs. They’re also called drop seizures. People having this type of seizure may collapse.
Clonic seizures: Clonic seizures are linked with jerking muscle movements. These seizures usually affect the neck, face and arms on both sides of the body.
Myoclonic seizures: Myoclonic seizures most often cause sudden brief jerks or twitches of the arms and legs. People who have these seizures don’t often pass out.
Tonic-clonic seizures: Tonic-clonic seizures are the most common type of generalized seizure. They once were called grand mal seizures. They can cause passing out, body stiffness and shaking. They sometimes cause people to urinate or to bite their tongues.
Tonic-clonic seizures last for several minutes. Tonic-clonic seizures may start as focal seizures that spread to involve most or all of the brain.
STAGES OF SEIZURE
Seizures can have a beginning phase, a middle phase and an end phase. These phases also are called prodrome, ictal and postictal.
Prodrome: This is the earliest warning that a seizure may happen. During the prodrome, people may have a hard-to-describe sense that a seizure may happen. They also may have changes in behavior. This can happen in the hours or even days before a seizure.
The prodrome stage may include an aura. The aura is the first symptom of a seizure. Symptoms during the aura may include the feeling that a person or place is familiar, called deja vu, or a feeling that a person or place is not familiar.
Or people may simply feel strange, feel fear or panic, or even have good feelings. Symptoms also may include smells, sounds, tastes, blurred vision or racing thoughts. Most often, auras are feelings that are hard to describe. The prodrome may include headache, numbness, tingling, nausea or dizziness.
Many people with seizures have a prodrome or aura. But some people do not.
Ictal phase: The ictal phase lasts from the first symptom, including the aura, to the end of the seizure. Symptoms of the ictal phase depend on the type of seizure.
Postictal phase: This is the period after a seizure during recovery. The postictal stage can last minutes or hours. Some people recover quickly, while others take hours. The length of the postictal phase depends on the type of seizure and what part of the brain was affected.
During this phase, people may be slow to respond, have trouble with memory, and have trouble talking or writing. They may feel sleepy, confused, dizzy, sad, scared, anxious or frustrated. They also may have nausea, a headache or weakness. They may feel thirsty or urinate.
RISK FACTORS OF SEIZURES
Certain conditions increase the likelihood of having seizures;
Family history of epilepsy
Previous brain injury, stroke, or infection
Premature birth or development disorders
Excessive alcohol or substance use
Lack of sleep or high stress level.
Cognitive issues.
Stroke.
Alzheimer’s disease.
Brain tumors.
COMPLICATIONS OF SEIZURES
Having a seizure can sometimes lead to complications that can cause danger for you or others. You might be at risk of:
Falling: If you fall during a seizure, you can injure your head or break a bone.
Drowning: If you have a seizure while swimming or bathing, you’re at risk of drowning.
Car accidents: A seizure can cause loss of awareness or not being able to control a vehicle while driving.
Pregnancy complications: Seizures during pregnancy pose dangers to pregnant people and their babies. And certain anti-seizure medicines increase the risk of health conditions present at birth. If you have epilepsy and plan to become pregnant, work with your healthcare professional to check to see if your medicines need to be adjusted during pregnancy.
Mental health conditions: People with seizures are more likely to have depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions. This can be from dealing with seizures or from the side effects of antiseizure medicines.
Sudden, unexpected death. Rarely, a single seizure causes death. This is called sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Seizures that aren’t managed well and other factors play a role in the risk of SUDEP. But experts don’t know the overall risks or the cause. Good treatment of seizures is vital in preventing SUDEP.
DIAGNOSIS
Doctors use several methods to diagnose seizures and their causes.
Medical history and physical exams
EEG (Electrocardiogram)
MRI or CT
Blood test to detect infections or chemical imbalance
PREVENTION AND FIRST AID TIPS
Knowing what to do when someone has a seizure can save lives:
Do’s:
Stay calm and move sharp objects away.
Place the person on their side to keep the airway clear.
Time the seizure.
Don’ts:
Don’t put anything in their mouth.
Don’t hold them down forcefully.
Call emergency services if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, if it’s the person’s first seizure, or if they don’t regain consciousness.
CONCLUSION
Seizures are more than just convulsions; they are a spectrum of brain activity disturbances that can present in different ways. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and first aid response is key to saving lives and supporting those affected.
Awareness helps reduce stigma and ensures timely medical care. If you or someone you know experiences seizures, seek professional medical advice.
At Blue Gloves Hospital, we are committed to ensuring healthier lives for children and families. From prevention programs to specialized care, our team is here to provide every step towards better health.
For more information; visit us at 67 Edet Akpan Avenue, 4lanes
Or contact 08109721819
Email: info@bluegloveshospital.com
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