The main symptoms of epilepsy include seizures, which are violent and involuntary contractions of the muscles and can cause the individual to be struggling for a few seconds to 2 to 3 minutes,
Epilepsy occurs due to changes in the conduction of nerve impulses in the brain, and excessive electrical activity occurs. Symptoms of epilepsy often occur without warning and may occur during the day or during sleep, and may affect individuals of all ages, from infants to the elderly.
However, epilepsy can only cause an absence crisis, which is when the individual stands still and totally absent, not talking or reacting to the touch for a few seconds, and is hardly noticed by the family.
In addition, there are several types of epilepsy, such as tonic-clonic or seizures of absence and some of the causes of epilepsy can be severe blows to the head, brain tumors, light or very strong sounds or genetic diseases, for example. Learn more causes of the disease in: Epilepsy.
Symptoms of generalized epilepsy
When a tonic-clonic epileptic seizure, popularly known as grand mal, occurs, changes occur throughout the brain leading to loss of consciousness and symptoms may arise, such as:
- Fall on the floor;
- Uncontrolled and involuntary contractions of the muscles of the body;
- Stiffness of muscles, especially of the arms, legs and thorax;
- Salivary much, even drooling;
- Bite your tongue and gnash your teeth;
- Urinary incontinence;
- Difficulty in breathing;
- Reddish skin;
- Changes in the smell, which can be pleasant or very unpleasant;
- He speaks imperceptibly;
- Aggressiveness, being able to resist help;
- Confusion and lack of attention;
- Somnolence.
During epileptic seizures, loss of consciousness is common, causing the individual to not remember the episode. After the crisis it is normal to experience drowsiness, headache, nausea and vomiting.
When the epilepsy crisis lasts more than 5 minutes you should ask for medical help by calling 192, or take the victim immediately to the hospital. To know what to do in case of crisis read: what to do in the crisis of epilepsy.
Symptoms of Partial Epilepsy
In some situations, epilepsy may affect only a small part of the brain's neurons, causing milder symptoms that correspond to the part of the brain affected. For example, if intense brain activity occurs in the brain part that controls the movements of the left leg, it may have contractions and stiffness. Therefore, in this case of epilepsy, the symptoms are limited to the affected area.
Symptoms of absence crisis
The absence crisis, commonly known as small mischief causes less intense symptoms, such as:
- To stand still and very quiet;
- Staying with an empty stare;
- To shake the muscles of the face uncontrollably;
- Make movements as if you were chewing;
- Move your arm or leg constantly, but in a slight way;
- Tingling in the arms or legs;
- Minimal rigidity of the muscles.
In addition, in this type of seizures, there is usually no loss of consciousness, just a strange feeling of deja vu, which in most cases lasts only between 10 and 30 seconds.
Symptoms of benign childhood epilepsy
Childhood epilepsy in most cases is benign and usually occurs between 3 and 13 years of age, with absence seizures being the most common type, in which the child is still and without reaction. Find out what the specific symptoms are in: How to identify and treat the absence crisis.
Treatment for epilepsy
Treatment for epilepsy should be guided by a neurologist and is usually done with the daily intake of an antiepileptic drug such as Oxcarbazepine, Carbamazepine or Valproate sodium, for example.
When epilepsy seizures are not controlled by taking the drug, it may be necessary to associate several drugs. In addition, in some cases, when the medications do not take effect it may be necessary to have surgery.
During treatment, individuals with seizures of epilepsy should avoid situations that cause seizures, such as staying too long without sleep, drinking too much alcohol or being in environments with many visual stimuli, such as nightclubs.
To learn more about the treatment of this disease read:
- Is Epilepsy Cure?
- Treatment of epilepsy
