Epilepsy involves repetitive, abnormal, disorganized electrical firing in the brain cells that can disrupt with the normal functioning of the brain. The disruption can trigger recurrent episodes of seizures which is the indicative symptom of epilepsy. Even though these seizures are typically triggered by the erratic electrical brain activity, they can manifest in a varying manner from one individual to another.
Being familiar with the characteristics of the seizures is vital since this can help the doctor choose the suitable treatment to manage the seizures. Many individuals suffering from epilepsy will not remember the seizures or what was occurring before an episode happened. In such cases, it is vital to include family and friends on how the episodes occur and other essential information in managing one.
Common symptoms of epilepsy
These are the typical symptoms experience either before or during a seizure. The symptoms depend on the type of seizures undergoing, thus an individual might not have all these symptoms.
Anxiety
Anxiety is typically experienced in most types of seizures and can indicate that a seizure is about to occur. In some forms of seizures, anxiety or an imminent feeling of doom can be considered an aura or a constant symptom in an individual just before a seizure occurs.
Weakness
It is important to note that weakness can occur in any type of seizure and in any region of the body. The weakness can occur in the leg, an arm or both.
Staring
An individual with absence seizures can stare out into space. In most cases, these individuals seem to be fleetingly daydreaming when in reality, they are essentially having a seizure. This typically persists for a few seconds and can occur along with blinking or monotonous actions such as the fingers or the mouth.
Repetitive movements
This usually includes actions such as repetitive shifting, picking on lint off a shirt, repetitive chewing, tapping of the fingers or repeating words. Take note that these movements can manifest before a seizure occurs or during one.
Loss of consciousness
In some cases of seizures, they can lead to loss of consciousness that can last for a few seconds up to hours.
Jerking or contraction of the body muscles
Essentially, when one thinks about seizures, it evokes the thought that every muscle in the body is contracting which is referred to as a grand mal seizure. Nevertheless, the reflex muscle contractions can also happen in isolated parts of the body. For example, the muscular contractions in the arm might cause an object to crash on the ground. The muscle contractions in the legs can trigger an individual to drop to the ground which can lead to further head injuries.