A seizure is a sudden and uncontrolled electrical disturbance that happens within the central nervous system and causes a wide range of totally different behaviors, actions or ranges of consciousness. Seizures can range broadly in severity and period and are attributable to a number of components. Epilepsy is one situation that may set off a seizure.
Epilepsy is a mind dysfunction that’s typically referred to as a “seizure dysfunction” as a result of the first symptom of epilepsy is seizures. The CDC estimates there are 3 million adults and 470,000 youngsters with epilepsy nationwide.1
This implies that there are greater than 3.4 million folks nationwide who may expertise a seizure, since epilepsy is just one contributing issue. Epilepsy is a power situation, and a few specialists estimate that there are a minimum of 1 million folks within the U.S. who’ve uncontrolled epilepsy, additionally referred to as drug-resistant epilepsy.2
According to the U.S. Census Bureau,3 there have been 258.3 million adults residing within the U.S. in 2020. These sheer numbers imply that at one level or one other, you might witness a seizure in public. To assist you realize what to do in that scenario, let’s discover ways to acknowledge what a seizure appears like and the best way to assist if you happen to’re a bystander. Since epilepsy shouldn’t be the one motive an individual might need a seizure, let’s begin with among the physiological adjustments that may set off a seizure.
What Can Trigger a Seizure?
Epilepsy is a blanket time period that refers to a gaggle of neurological problems characterised by recurring seizures. People will be identified with epilepsy as youngsters or adults, and whereas the precise trigger shouldn’t be solely identified, basically, it outcomes from irregular neurological signaling within the mind.4
There are underlying medical circumstances that may trigger “acquired epilepsy,” which implies you develop it as an grownup or after a medical situation or damage. Causes of acquired epilepsy embody head trauma, infectious illness, stroke and tumors. Brain construction abnormalities may additionally set off recurring seizures.
According to Cure Epilepsy,5 as much as 50% of individuals on this planet with epilepsy have idiopathic epilepsy, which implies the precise trigger can’t be recognized. Every 12 months, greater than 150,000 individuals are identified with epilepsy. This implies that it impacts extra folks than cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s illness, a number of sclerosis and ALS mixed.
According to the CDC,6 the estimated variety of folks with energetic epilepsy shouldn’t be evenly distributed all through the U.S. The states with nearly all of people embody California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Northeastern states together with Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.
Not everybody who has a seizure additionally has epilepsy. Nearly something that may disrupt neurological communication may also result in a seizure. For instance, a excessive fever can result in a febrile seizure. High blood sugar,7 lack of sleep, low blood sodium, authorized or unlawful medication resembling amphetamines or cocaine, excessive alcohol intoxication or withdrawal from alcohol and medicines may also set off a seizure.8
Different Symptoms for Different Types of Seizures
The mind is a phenomenally advanced organ and when the neurological connections are disrupted, the signs that outcome can range. The sorts of seizures are categorised into focal seizures and generalized seizures, every of which additionally has subcategories. Generally talking, signs or warning indicators of a seizure can embody:9,10
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Staring into house |
Stiffening of the physique and extremities |
Jerking actions within the legs and arms |
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Breathing issues |
Loss of consciousness |
Loss of bowel and bladder management |
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Not responding to noise or phrases |
Appearing confused |
Rhythmic nodding of the top |
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Periods of staring and fast eye blinking |
Cognitive or emotional adjustments resembling concern and nervousness |
Focal seizures have an effect on one space of the mind and have been as soon as referred to as partial seizures.11 An individual can have a focal seizure with or with out lack of consciousness. During a easy focal seizure, the realm of the mind that’s affected by the dysfunctional electrical impulses will exhibit signs. Usually, these have an effect on muscle motion restricted to 1 or two muscle teams in shut proximity.
During advanced focal seizures, an individual loses consciousness, however they seem to look conscious and awake. The individual might not go out, however they aren’t conscious of what is going on on round them. People having a fancy focal seizure will typically have some uncommon behaviors, like lip smacking, crying, laughing or screaming.
Seizures may additionally seem to contain most areas of the mind, and these are referred to as generalized seizures.12 There are a number of sorts of generalized seizures, however essentially the most well-known are tonic-clonic seizures, which have been as soon as referred to as grand mal seizures. These are the categories often proven in motion pictures or TV.13
The signs of tonic-clonic seizures are dramatic, however they aren’t the most typical kind of seizure. Tonic-clonic seizures trigger a sudden lack of consciousness with a lack of bladder management and a mixture of muscle stiffening and repeated jerking.
Two different sorts of generalized seizures additionally contain muscle teams. An atonic seizure causes an individual to lose muscle management and drop immediately to the bottom. Dropping or falling may cause different vital accidents, particularly if the individual hits their head or strikes one thing sharp or arduous. Myoclonic seizures set off transient jerks or twitches within the legs and arms however often no lack of consciousness.
Finally, you might observe absence seizures that have been as soon as referred to as petit mal seizures. These seizures occur most frequently in youngsters. You would possibly discover that the individual is staring into house or making delicate physique actions. These sorts of seizures can last as long as 10 seconds and an individual might have a number of hundred every day.
Three Stages of a Seizure
There are three distinct phases of a seizure. The first known as the prodromal part, during which you expertise warning indicators {that a} seizure could also be coming. For some, these signs can occur within the hours or days earlier than the seizure happens. Prodromal signs can embody:14
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A way of impending doom or concern |
A sound or a tone that’s comparable every time earlier than the seizure occurs |
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Difficulty discovering phrases or forming clear ideas |
A sense of abdomen butterflies |
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Hearing issues like you’re underwater |
Feeling like you’re in Alice in Wonderland, the place you’re feeling small and all the things else is large or vice versa |
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A sense of deja vu the place issues are acquainted or the alternative — all the things is unrecognizable |
The prodromal part is the primary part of a seizure.15 Once the seizure begins, the individual is within the ictal part. The ictal part begins with the primary symptom of the seizure and ends on the finish of seen seizure exercise. The size of time and the signs you see will rely upon the kind of seizure.
The final stage of a seizure known as the postictal part. This can final for minutes or hours, additionally relying on the kind of seizure, the realm of the mind affected and the size of the seizure. During the postictal part, individuals are typically groggy, have problem with reminiscence, sore muscle mass and might have bother speaking or writing. Some really feel nauseated, have a headache or might lose bladder management.
How to Help if You Are a Bystander
If you acknowledge the indicators and signs of somebody having a seizure, your main objective is to maintain the individual secure. Seizure-related accidents can occur when an individual falls to the bottom or repeatedly jerks, placing their head towards one thing arduous.16 The smartest thing to do is to assist them to the ground. Do not attempt to maintain them standing or in a chair.
Once they’re mendacity on the ground, place one thing delicate below their head so in the event that they expertise jerking motions of their neck, they will not bang their head on the ground. Do not put something of their mouth as it is not potential to swallow the tongue. It is necessary you don’t restrain their arms or legs, because the muscle contractions may cause injury to bone or muscle if their extremities are restrained.
There is nothing you are able to do to cease a seizure, so do not yell at them or strive some other methods. It’s necessary to maintain observe of how lengthy the individual is having seizure exercise. If it lasts for greater than 5 minutes or they start to have back-to-back seizures, name 911 or the emergency companies quantity in your space. While these conditions are uncommon, they are often life-threatening.
Other conditions that additionally require emergency companies are if the individual has a seizure within the water, has problem respiration or if they’re pregnant. If you be taught that is their first seizure, you must also name emergency companies.
They might breathe intermittently whereas they’re actively convulsing. If you possibly can roll them safely to their aspect whereas they’re jerking, place them within the restoration place. If you can’t roll them safely, wait until they cease convulsing after which roll them into the restoration place.
The restoration place locations the physique so the airway has the most effective likelihood of staying open and any vomit will drain from the mouth by gravity.17 Begin by eradicating eyeglasses if the individual is sporting them.
Do not roll them on to their entrance as a result of it places further physique weight on their lungs and makes it more durable to breathe. Only transfer an individual into the restoration place by your self if you happen to consider there is no such thing as a spinal damage. Start by kneeling at their aspect. Move the arm that’s closest to you at a proper angle to their physique with the elbow bent and their palm going through upward. Bring the opposite hand throughout their physique and place it on the aspect of the cheek that is subsequent to you.
While holding their hand towards their cheek, pull the far leg up so the foot is flat on the ground. Then, protecting the again of their hand pressed towards their cheek, pull on the far leg in order that their physique rolls in direction of you and on to their aspect. At this time, you possibly can alter the leg and arms in order that they’re bent at proper angles and tip the top again barely, lifting the chin, so the airway stays open.
They Are Awake and Alert — Now What?
Once the individual begins progressively recovering and waking up, they will keep within the restoration place till they’re prepared to take a seat up on the ground in a secure house. They shouldn’t be allowed to depart or eat or drink till they’re absolutely awake and alert. Stay with them till they’re absolutely conscious of what is going on on and you’ll inform them what occurred.18
If you be taught it was their first seizure, name emergency companies to allow them to be absolutely evaluated in a hospital. While this can be the primary idiopathic seizure, it could even be the primary symptom of an damage from a minor stroke, mind an infection, irregular development or the results of hitting their head up to now hours or days.
Witnessing a seizure can initially be overwhelming, however when you realize what to do, you possibly can assist forestall additional damage and make sure the individual is seen by emergency companies when it is wanted.