Description

What is epilepsy? Epilepsy is a long-term (chronic) disease that causes repeated seizures due to abnormal electrical signals produced by damaged brain cells. A burst of uncontrolled electrical activity within brain cells causes a seizure. Seizures can include changes to your awareness, muscle control (your muscles may twitch or jerk), sensations, emotions and behavior. Epilepsy is also called a seizure disorder. Who does epilepsy affect? Anyone, of any age, race or sex, can develop epilepsy. What are the types of epilepsies and their seizure symptoms? Focal onset seizures Focal onset seizures start in one area, or network of cells, on one side of your brain. This seizure used to be called partial onset seizure. There are two types of focal seizures: • Focal onset aware seizure means you’re awake and aware during the seizure. Symptoms may include: ◦ Changes in your senses — how things taste, smell or sound. ◦ Changes in your emotions. ◦ Uncontrolled muscle jerking, usually in arms or legs. ◦ Seeing flashing lights, feeling dizzy, having a tingling sensation. General onset seizures affect a widespread network of cells on both sides of your brain at the same time. There are six types of generalized seizures. • Absence seizures: This seizure type causes a blank stare or “staring into space” (a brief loss of awareness). There may be minor muscle movements, including eye blinking, lip-smacking or chewing motions, hand motions or rubbing fingers. Absence seizures are more common in children, last for only seconds (usually less than 10 seconds) • Atonic seizures: Atonic means “without tone.” An atonic seizure means you’ve lost muscle control or your muscles are weak during your seizure. Parts of your body may droop or drop such as your eyelids or head, or you may fall to the ground during this short seizure (usually less than 15 seconds). This seizure type is sometimes called “drop seizure” or “drop attack.” • Tonic seizures: Tonic means “with tone.” A tonic seizure means your muscle tone has greatly increased. Your arms, legs, back or whole body may be tense or stiff, causing you to fall. • Clonic seizures:“Cl onus” means fast, repeating stiffening and relaxing of a muscle (“jerking”). A clonic seizure happens when muscles continuously jerk for seconds to a minute or muscles stiffen followed by jerking for seconds up to two minutes. • Myoclonic seizures: This seizure type causes brief, shock-like muscle jerks or twitches (“myo” means muscle, “clonus” means muscle jerking). What are seizure triggers? • Stress. • Sleep issues such as not sleeping well, not getting enough sleep, being overtired, disrupted sleep and sleep disorders like sleep apnea. • Alcohol use, alcohol withdrawal, recreational drug use. • Hormonal changes or menstrual hormonal changes. • Illness, fever. • Flashing lights or patterns. • Not eating healthy, balanced meals or drinking enough fluids; vitamin and mineral deficiencies, skipping meals. • Physical overexertion. • Specific foods (caffeine is a common trigger). • Dehydration. • Certain times of the day or night. • Use of certain medications. Diphenhydramine, an ingredient in cold, allergy and sleep over-the-counter products, is a reported trigger. • Missed anti-seizure medication doses. What are the signs and symptoms of epileptic seizures? The main symptom of epilepsy is recurring seizures. Your symptoms, however, vary depending on the type of seizure you have. Seizure signs and symptoms include: • Temporary loss of awareness or consciousness. • Uncontrolled muscle movements, muscle jerking, loss of muscle tone. • Blank stare or “staring into space” look. • Temporary confusion, slowed thinking, problems with talking and understanding. • Changes in hearing, vision, taste, smell, feelings of numbness or tingling. • Problems talking or understanding. • Upset stomach, waves of heat or cold, goosebumps. • Lip-smacking, chewing motion, rubbing hands, finger motions. • Psychic symptoms, including fear, dread, anxiety or déjà vu. • Faster heart rate and/or breathing. How is epilepsy diagnosed? Muscle jerks. • Muscle stiffness. • Loss of bowel or bladder control (you peed or pooped during the seizure). • Change in breathing. • Skin color turned pale. • Had a blank stare. • Lost consciousness. • Had problems talking or understanding what was said to you. What tests will be done to diagnose this condition? Tests include: • Electroencephalography (EEG): This test measures the electrical activity in your brain. Certain abnormal electrical patterns are related to seizures. • Brain scans: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for such things as tumors, infections or blood vessel abnormalities.

Key Specification Epilepsy

Seizures

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