What to Do When You Have a Seizure
Whether you are a sufferer or a loved one, you need to know what to do when you have a seizure. This article covers the signs and symptoms, as well as the treatments available for tonic-clonic seizures.
Symptoms
Symptoms of seizures vary from person to person, depending on the type of seizure the person is experiencing. People can experience symptoms like dizziness, nausea, headaches, flashbacks, hallucinations, abnormal muscle contractions, and uncontrollable shaking.
If you are experiencing one of the symptoms of seizures mentioned above, you should seek medical attention. It is important to call an ambulance or go to the hospital right away. This will give your doctor a chance to see what is causing your symptoms. A doctor can also make a diagnosis of epilepsy and rule out other medical conditions that may have similar symptoms.
If you are a child and you have a seizure, the first thing you should do is call your parents. They will need to know how to take care of you. You should also have a plan for giving your child medicines. They should not be given acetaminophen or ibuprofen until they are awake and alert. They should also be told to store medications in a cool place. During the seizure, you should not give your child any food or drink until you are sure the seizure is over.
During a seizure, you might also experience a strange taste in your mouth or a tingling feeling in your hands and feet. Your eyes may be dilated and you may see flashing lights. Your tongue may be stuck between your teeth. If you are able to remember what happened during the seizure, you should call your doctor.
There are two main types of seizures: generalized and focal. The difference is that a generalized seizure occurs in both hemispheres of the brain. The focal type, on the other hand, begins on a single hemisphere of the brain. The symptoms of focal seizures are usually very different from those of generalized seizures. Some of the effects of a focal seizure include changes in memory, language function, and cognitive functions.
During a tonic-clonic seizure, the person experiences jerking movements of the legs, arms, and face. These movements can last for a few minutes, but can also go on for hours. They can also affect other parts of the body, such as the bladder and bowel.
In general, if you are having a seizure, you should be laid down on a soft, comfortable surface. If you are unconscious for more than five minutes, call an ambulance. You should also keep an eye on your breathing. If you are pregnant, you should consult with your healthcare provider.
You should also be careful if you are laying down on the floor. If you are a baby or young child, you should be cooled with lukewarm water. You should not be placed in a cold bath. You should also be wearing loose clothing to prevent vomit from entering your lungs.
Tonic-clonic seizures
During a tonic-clonic seizure, a person’s body jerks uncontrollably, and he or she loses consciousness. These seizures are caused by a malfunction in the brain’s cells. The malfunction can be caused by a number of conditions. Some people experience a seizure after being exposed to alcohol or other drugs.
Another common cause of tonic-clonic seizures is a brain injury. This can occur when the brain gets damaged and can lead to long-term seizures. The person may be able to live a normal, active life, although it can affect social interactions. If a child experiences a tonic-clonic seizure, parents and caretakers should talk to the doctor. They should also share the information with teachers, coaches, and other caregivers.
If a seizure is provoked, the patient is not usually diagnosed with epilepsy, but the condition can be controlled with medication. If a person has unprovoked seizures, the healthcare provider may use a variety of tests to determine if the seizure is a symptom of an underlying health problem. If a person has recurrent tonic-clonic seizures, he or she may need to take medicine daily to prevent seizures.
Generalized tonic-clonic seizures, which are the most common form of epilepsy, begin with a loss of consciousness. The patient’s arms and legs jerk, and the person bites their tongue. He or she falls to the floor, and the muscles stiffen.
Other symptoms of a tonic-clonic seizure include a headache, a feeling of confusion, and a feeling of drowsiness. If the person is asleep, the seizure may be more difficult to wake up from. The mouth may become dry and frothy, and the person’s breathing may be affected. A seizure that lasts more than five minutes is an emergency, and the person should be taken to the hospital immediately.
An EEG is an important diagnostic tool for doctors to identify tonic-clonic seizures. The EEG will show areas of erratic electrical activity in the brain, which can be indicative of a tonic-clonic seizure. The EEG can be performed during a sleep-deprived state, or it can be done when the person is well-rested. An MRI or PET scan is used to get a more detailed picture of the brain.
The best way to prevent tonic-clonic seizures is to control the triggers. For example, if you drink a lot of alcohol, avoid consuming it during the time of a seizure. Other things you can do to prevent a seizure are to loosen restrictive clothing and to check your airway.
If you witness a tonic-clonic seizure, you can help the doctor by describing the symptoms. The doctor will ask you to describe your experience and may also ask the person who was with you to do so.
In addition, a doctor will need to perform a neurological exam. This exam will look for balance and coordination, as well as muscle tone and reflexes. If the patient has a fever or an infection, the healthcare provider may also perform blood tests to rule these out. The tests may also involve a SPECT scan, which uses radioactive material to determine the location of the seizure’s start.
Treatment options
Medications for seizures can be a lifesaver, but there are many side effects from taking them. It’s important to discuss your options with your doctor, and always follow the directions that are provided to you. Anticonvulsants are medications that can help control seizures. They work by slowing down the electrical signals from the brain cells. Depending on the type of seizure you have, you may need to take several types of medications to keep your seizures under control.
Anticonvulsants can also be used as a preventative measure to help prevent future seizures. This is especially true for people with certain medical conditions, or who have risk factors for seizures. Some of these factors include genetic anomalies, head injury, and substance misuse. Those who have these risks should speak to their healthcare professionals about whether or not they should stop using alcohol or other substances.
In addition to prescription medicines, other treatment methods include surgery and deep brain stimulation. These techniques send electrical pulses to the brain via electrodes in specific areas. These methods can be used to treat focal onset seizures, generalized onset seizures, and absence seizures.
In addition to medication, special diets can help control seizures. The modified Atkins diet, a low-glycemic diet, and the ketogenic diet are all low-carbohydrate diets. These diets are less restrictive than ketogenic diets but have been found to be helpful in many patients.
Some of the side effects of taking drugs for seizures include nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Fortunately, some of these side effects can be relieved by changing the type of medicine that is prescribed. However, it’s important to remember that the response to anticonvulsants can be different from one person to another. Some of these differences may reflect the different pathophysiologic mechanisms of different types of seizures.
A lumbar puncture can also be used to collect cerebrospinal fluid, which can indicate infection or other causes of seizures. It is important to note that you should not use this procedure while pregnant or breastfeeding. This is because sodium valproate can cause birth defects.
For most adults with multiple seizures, the first choice for treatment is usually antiepileptic medication. Some of these medicines are used alone, while other medications may be used in combination. You may also need to take painkillers or other drugs to reduce the number of seizures you have. If your child has seizures, you should call 911 immediately to get help.
There are a number of other treatments available, including clinical trials. These research studies can provide a new way to treat seizures. For these tests, researchers need volunteers to test out new drugs.
The best place to start when looking for the right treatment for your seizures is with your general practitioner (GP). If you have epilepsy, you may have to see a neurologist. These specialists specialize in the treatment of disorders of the nervous system. They will review your medical history and run diagnostic tests to determine the cause of your seizures. They will then recommend the most effective treatments.
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