What is an epileptic seizure?

The epilepsy It is a chronic neurological disorder, which affects people of virtually all ages. The World Health Organization estimates that there are approximately 50 million people around the world who suffer from it.

It is characterized as a brain disorder caused by the existence of a imbalance in the electrical activity of neurons of some area of ​​the brain. It is, therefore, one or several neurological disorders that leave in the brain a predisposition to suffer recurrent seizures, which often lead to cognitive, neurobiological and psychological consequences.

On its causes, different brain lesions may influence its appearance, such as cranial trauma, sequelae of meningitis or tumors, although it is true that in many cases the person has a predisposition of genetic origin to suffer epilepsy.

One of its most common symptoms is the one known as Epileptic crisis, which are characterized by being episodes of altered brain activity that produce changes in behavior or attention.

What are your symptoms?

First of all we must bear in mind that in a certain sense it can become difficult to assure whether a person will be suffering from an epileptic crisis, since sometimes these crises only cause the person to have periods of fixed gaze, without sudden drops or fading brief.

Usually, the symptoms are the following:

  • Sudden falls
  • Short fading, usually followed by a period of confusion.
  • Changes in behavior
  • Drooling or foam from the mouth.
  • Movements of the eyes.
  • Snort and growl.
  • Loss of sphincter control.
  • Changes in mood
  • Grinding teeth
  • Shuddering of the whole body.
  • Uncontrollable muscle spasms.

How long does an epileptic seizure last?

In most cases, an epileptic seizure usually lasts 3 to 4 minutes. These symptoms may stop after a few seconds or minutes, or continue for up to 15 minutes.

However, when the duration of the epileptic seizure is greater than 30 minutes, we have a neurological emergency, which must be handled by a medical specialist.

What can I do if a close person has an epileptic seizure?

In the first place, it is essential to remain calm, given that in most cases the epileptic crisis lasts only a few minutes, and in many cases they tend to subside spontaneously. It is important to observe with great attention the different characteristics of the convulsive movements, how long they last and what the person does when starting his recovery after the crisis.

Since you can injure the person, it is not advisable to try to stop the crisis or prevent the convulsive movements, and to carefully place it on its side so that it can breathe better, besides placing some soft object under its head.

It is essential to remain with the person until the crisis ends. It is usual that after the crisis the person is confused; Talk to him in a friendly and calm tone. This article is published for informational purposes only. It can not and should not replace the consultation with a Physician. We advise you to consult your Trusted Doctor.

First Aid in Seizures (March 2024)