Seizures are sudden, involuntary contractions of the body’s muscles, which occur due to excess abnormal electrical activity in certain areas of the brain. In general, these episodes are rapid and last a few seconds or minutes and can cause changes in behavior, the movement of the person and consciousness.
In most cases, seizures heal and may not be repeated, especially if they are not related to a neural problem; However, if it occurs as a result of a more serious health problem, such as epilepsy or even organic insufficiency, it is necessary to perform appropriate treatment for the disease you are suffering from, in addition to using anticonvulsant drugs, as directed by your doctor.
- In addition to treatment.
- It is important to know what to do during a seizure.
- Because during this episode.
- There is a risk that the person will be traumatized.
- Even if they can drown.
- Causing the end of a person’s life.
The main causes of seizures include
High temperature, mainly in children under 5 years of age;
Diseases such as: epilepsy, meningitis, tetanus, encephalitis, HIV infection, for example;
Head trauma;
Abstinence after prolonged use of alcohol and drugs;
Side effects of certain medicines;
Metabolic problems such as diabetes, kidney failure or hypoglycemia, for example;
Lack of oxygen in the brain
Febrile seizures can occur within the first 24 hours of a children’s party. Diseases such as otitis, pneumonia, flu, colds, sinusitis can cause a febrile seizure. Normally, it does not pose a lifetime risk without neurological sequences.
Stress can cause an intense nerve attack similar to a seizure, which is why it is mistakenly called nerve seizure, but its correct name is conversion crisis.
Seizures can be classified into types depending on the region of the brain affected, which could be:
In addition to this classification, seizures may be classified according to symptoms and duration of the seizure episode, which may include:
It is important to be aware of seizures and their characteristics, especially in cases where an absence crisis develops, as this could go unnoticed and delay diagnosis and treatment.
To find out if it’s really a seizure, some signs and symptoms may be observed:
Sudden fall with loss of consciousness;
Uncontrollable touches of closed muscles;
Involuntary muscle spasms;
Baver in the mouth;
Loss of control of the intestines and intestines;
Sudden confusion
In addition, before the onset of the epileptic episode, the person may complain of symptoms such as tinnitus in the ears, nausea, dizziness and unintentional anxiety.
A seizure can last from 30 seconds to a few minutes, usually the duration is not related to the severity of the cause.
At the time of a crisis the most important thing is to create a safe environment, so that the person does not hit or cause trauma, for this we must:
Remove items such as bags near the person;
Set aside the character and disapprove of tight clothing, especially around the neck;
Do not leave the person alone to regain consciousness.
You should never stick your fingers in a person’s mouth, or try to remove a prosthesis or object from inside your mouth, as there is a very high risk that the person will bite your fingers, see other precautions to take, and not take during the crisis.
If possible, the duration of the seizure should be noted, to inform the doctor if necessary.
Treatment of seizures should always be referred by the family doctor or neurologist; to do this, an evaluation should be done to see if there is any cause of the seizure. To determine the cause, your doctor generally recommends appropriate treatment for the problem, as well as the use of an anticonvulsant such as phenytoin, to prevent the risk of a new seizure.
Seizure often occurs only once and it is relatively common for your doctor not to indicate specific treatment, in all cases after the first episode. Treatment is usually done when there are consecutive episodes.