| | | | | seizure can also be as subtle as marching |
| Epilepsy is a recurrent seizure disorder caused by | | | | numbness of a part of the body, a brief loss of |
| abnormal electrical discharges from brain cells, | | | | memory, sparkling or flashes, sensing an |
| often in the cerebral cortex. It is not a distinct | | | | unpleasant odor, a strange epigastric sensation or |
| disease, it is a group of disorders for which | | | | a sensation of fear. Therefore seizures are |
| recurrent seizures are the main symptom. | | | | typically classified as motor, sensory, autonomic, |
| Different forms of epilepsy are either secondary | | | | emotional or cognitive. |
| to a particular brain abnormality or neurological | | | | For the majority of people who have seizures, |
| disorder, or are said to be "idiopathic," without any | | | | there's one symptom that follows having a |
| clear cause. | | | | seizure--a very intense feeling of fatigue. They |
| Generalized seizures are produced by electrical | | | | could be just waking up in the morning, have a |
| impulses from throughout the entire brain, | | | | little movement with their arm, and minutes later |
| whereas partial seizures are produced (at least | | | | they are asleep. Some people who've had Grand |
| initially) by electrical impulses in a relatively small | | | | Mal seizures or even partial seizures will literally lie |
| part of the brain. The part of the brain generating | | | | down on the floor and be asleep within minutes. |
| the seizures is sometimes called the focus. | | | | Seizures Treatment |
| Seizures are symptoms of a brain problem. They | | | | Turn the person on his or her side after the |
| happen because of sudden, abnormal electrical | | | | convulsion ceases. This may help drain any |
| activity in the brain. When people think of | | | | moisture or secretions from the person's mouth. |
| seizures, they often think of convulsions in which | | | | Do not attempt to hold down or restrain the |
| a person's body shakes rapidly and uncontrollably. | | | | person. |
| Not all seizures cause convulsions. There are | | | | Most seizures are self-limiting and stop by |
| many types of seizures and some have mild | | | | themselves after various periods of time. |
| symptoms. Seizures fall into two main groups. | | | | However, a person having a seizure may be |
| Focal seizures, also called partial seizures, happen | | | | injured; breathe food, fluid, or vomit into the lungs; |
| in just one part of the brain. Generalized seizures | | | | or not get enough oxygen. During a seizure, it is |
| are a result of abnormal activity on both sides of | | | | important to protect the person from injury. Turn |
| the brain. | | | | the person on his or her side, so that any vomit |
| Signs and symptoms | | | | is expelled. See seizure first aid . |
| Seizures can cause involuntary changes in body | | | | There are many medications used in the |
| movement or function, sensation, awareness, or | | | | treatment of epilepsy and seizures. Most of these |
| behavior. A seizure can last from a few seconds | | | | medications are taken by mouth. Many people |
| to status epilepticus, a continuous seizure that will | | | | with epilepsy are able to prevent seizures by |
| not stop without intervention. Seizure is often | | | | taking only one drug, but others require more |
| associated with a sudden and involuntary | | | | than one. |
| contraction of a group of muscles. However, a | | | | |