Seizures: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Home
/
Health Wiki
/
Seizures: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Contents

In this article, we will take a look at:

You can click on any of the links above to navigate to the section of your interest.

What is a seizure? 

Sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain lead to changed behaviour, body movements, and consciousness. This is known as a seizure. Most seizures last for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. However, if they last longer, that’s a medical emergency.

Patients with a history of head injury, meningitis, and previous seizures are at higher risk. There are two main types of seizures:

Focal seizures: It affects only one part of the brain. it can be accompanied by loss of consciousness sometimes.

Generalized seizures: These involve the whole brain.

If someone gets seizures frequently, it is termed epilepsy.

How does a seizure occur?

Nerve cells or neurons are responsible for the transfer of electrical impulses to and from the brain. all that we see, smell, hear and perceive are communicated through these nerve cells. We can take them as the electrical wiring of the house. When anything disrupts this flow of information, the brain begins to function differently giving rise to seizures.

A seizure happens in 3 phases:

Aura: It is a small partial seizure that alters the sense of smell, vision, perception, hearing and also emotions.

Ictus: It is the phase when the actual seizure happens.

Postictal phase: It is the post-seizure phase. The person feels disoriented and drowsiness.

Who is prone to a seizure? 

You are prone to getting seizures if you have

What are the Symptoms of a seizure? How is Seizure Diagnosed? 

The following are the symptoms of a seizure:

Diagnosis

Doctors go for the neurological examination to assess the mental condition of the patient. They usually test for motor skills and mental functions. They may also suggest a blood test to confirm if the seizures are because of diseases like meningitis. If the doctor detects abnormal brain functions, they may suggest EEG, CT scan, fMRI, PET, SPECT, and various neuropsychological tests. Since seizures can start from any part of the brain, it becomes important to pinpoint the origin. For this, the doctors use analytical tools like SPM, curry analysis, and MEG.

What are the complications of seizure?

Seizures can affect any age group. If left untreated, they can be life-threatening. Some of the complications related to it are:

What is the treatment for seizures? 

Doctors avoid treating someone with just a single case of a seizure. In many cases, that is an isolated incident and never again happens in life. However, if you have a recurrent case of seizures, the doctor may opt for medicines or surgery. Seizures are a complex disease. It is hard to determine which part of the brain is involved. So, doctors go for the permutation and combination of the drugs to find the right one for you.

Basically, seizures are treated with

Would you like to consult a doctor for Seizures ?

Questions answered by trusted doctors

Verified User
My mother was having viral ,we were giving paracetamol as per doctor's advice,on 3rd night her fever goes up to 103 ,so we consulted doctor who advised to give meftal 250 mg , in the early morning next day ,she was having excessive gas as well as pain in stomach,after few minutes she fainted and have a seizure for 3-5 seconds for the first time in life, doctor said it might be due to reaction of meftal as well as due to dehydration,now she is better.Does it's a serious Matter of concern ??
Dr. J.Mariano Anto Bruno Mascarenhas
General Physician, Chennai
This is very serious

Fever with seizures can be due to brain fever

Please consult a Neurosurgeon at the earliest

Dr. Anil Kumar Jain
General Physician, Bangalore
Hello there. I can understand your concern. Its very unlikely that meftal would cause the seizures. The seizures could be due to the temperature. You need to get your fever treated properly. Take a paracetamol thrice a day after food. Also get yourself checked out by a neurologist for further evaluation and management of the seizure problem. Do not take it lightly. Best regards. Dr. Anil kumar jain.
Dr. Amarpreet Singh Riar
General Physician, Delhi
It could have been a febrile seizure as well.
It's one of episodes.
Please don't worry
Ask health queries and get free answers from doctors in 24 hrs
Did you know?

What causes seizures

A new technique called magnetoencephalography precisely targets the area of the brain that causes seizures.

Seizures in India

About 10 million people in India suffer from some kind of seizures.

Related articles

Bone Cancer: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Bone Cancer is one of the rarest cancers in the world and usually occurs in the large bones of arms and thighs.

Dialysis in India

Dialysis is a procedure in which the blood is filtered mechanically without the help of the kidneys. If the kidneys are not functioning properly then Dialysis will take over the function of the failed kidneys.

Bladder Infection: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Bladder infection or cystitis is inflammation and disease within the urinary bladder. Bacteria are the most common causal organism for the bladder infection.

Home Remedies

Take magnesium rich food

Magnesium deficiency gives rise to seizures. To avoid this, take food like nuts, spinach, and fruits regularly.

Coconut water

Coconut water is known to promote nervous health. Its regular consumption will keep your brain in good health.

Ash gourd

Commonly called petha or kumro, ash gourd is well-known for its anti-seizure properties. Drink a glass of its juice with liquorice powder every day to prevent seizures.