Seizures

Most of us have an idea of what a seizure is, or at least we may have a picture in our minds of what it looks like when a person experiences a seizure.  Anyway, a seizure occurs when there is abnormal electrical activity going on in the brain.  Depending on the type of seizure a person has, it may pretty much go unnoticed…or it may be an episode that is accompanied by very dangerous muscle spasms, or one that ends up causing a loss of consciousness.  One of the scary parts is that seizures generally come on suddenly and you really never know exactly how long they will last or how severe they will be.  Basically, having seizures is a condition you really cannot prepare for because it may happen one time, or it may happen more than once…it all depends upon the electrical activity in your brain.

Seizures are divided into two broad categories: generalized and partial.  The category a seizure falls into is based upon the type of behavior and activity that occurs in the brain.  Generalized seizures are produced by electrical impulses from the entire brain, whereas partial seizures are produced by electrical impulses in a relatively small part of the brain.  Furthermore, there are six types of generalized seizures and three types of partial seizures…allow Total Home Health to explain as follows.

·      Generalized Seizures

1.     Grand Mal

·      Symptoms include unconsciousness, convulsions and rigid muscles.

·      The most common and dramatic type.

·      Injuries and accidents may occur, such as tongue biting and urinary incontinence.

2.     Absence

·      Symptoms include a brief loss of consciousness.

·      Typically this seizure will interrupt activity and the individual will present with a blank stare.

·      Begins and ends abruptly and may occur several times a day.

·      Individuals are usually not aware they are having a seizure, except they may complain of losing time.

3.     Myoclonic

·      Symptoms include sporadic, jerking movements.

·      Movements will usually be on both sides of the body.

·      If violent, this type of seizure may result in dropping or involuntarily throwing objects.

4.     Clonic

·      Symptoms include repetitive, jerking movements.

·      Both sides of the body will be involved at the same time.

5.     Tonic

·      Symptoms include muscle stiffness and rigidity.

6.     Atonic

·      Symptoms include a loss of muscle tone.

·      Loss of muscle tone particularly occurs in the arms and legs, which often results in a fall.

·      Partial Seizures

1.   Simple

·      Awareness is retained.

·      Symptoms include jerking, muscle rigidity, spasms and head turning.

2.   Complex

·      Symptoms include things such as lip smacking, chewing, fidgeting, walking and other repetitive, involuntary but coordinated movements.

·      Awareness is impaired.

·      Individuals seem to be “out of it,” or “staring into space.”

3.   Partial seizure with secondary generalization

·      Symptoms include those that are initially associated with a preservation of consciousness, but then it eventually evolves into a loss of consciousness and convulsions.

So now that you have a general idea of how seizures may be categorized you may ask, “What causes seizures to happen?”  Well, often the cause is unknown.  However, many conditions may provoke seizures…including:

·      Stroke

·      Brain tumors

·      Head injuries

·      Electrolyte imbalance

·      Very low blood sugar

·      Repetitive sounds or flashing lights

·      Medications

·      Withdrawal from medications or alcohol

·      Drug use, such as cocaine and heroin

·      Cancer

·      Brain infections, such as meningitis

Witnessing a seizure may be quite dramatic…so the best thing you can do is to stay calm and do your best to see that the individual involved remains safe.  For example, if the individual is sitting in a chair and begins to have a seizure, carefully lower them onto the floor and onto their side in an open area so that nothing around them could cause an injury.  Turning the individual onto their side will best prevent them from choking if they were to vomit during their seizure episode.  Also, if you are a witness to a seizure it is good to take into account what time it began and ended in order to see if the seizure follows any specific pattern(s).  Total Home Health will educate you on several important bits of information in order for you and your loved ones to best deal with seizures, prevent any injuries and promote your overall health.

Total Home Health has a program that will meet your needs when dealing with seizures.  We firmly believe in preventive care and promotion of your health.  Our compassionate professionals will educate you on the best ways to prevent a seizure from occurring in your own unique situation and what to do if one does decide to occur.  Due to unexpected nature of seizures, with Total Home Health we will formulate a plan for your own unique situation so that you can be as prepared as possible if and when your next seizure occurs.  Enroll today and join our team of health care professionals that care about you and will never fail to treat you as one of our own!