What is psychogenic nonepileptic seizures?

Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) don't have a physical cause. They aren't caused by epilepsy. But people with epilepsy also may have PNES. People who have a lot of stress, mental illness, or emotional trauma may be more likely to have PNES.

Even though PNES doesn't have a physical cause, it is a real condition. The seizures can be scary. And not knowing why you're having them can be frustrating.

Your doctor will do tests to find out if you have epilepsy. An EEG test lets your doctor see the electrical activity of your brain. The test is often used to diagnose epilepsy. It helps your doctor know what types of seizures you are having.

Your doctor also may do blood tests.

PNES can be mistaken for epilepsy at first. As a result, some people with PNES are treated with epilepsy medicines. But most of the time, these medicines don't help. The right diagnosis allows your doctor to give you treatments that will help with the stress and other issues that may be related to PNES.

Treatment varies with each person. The goals of treatment are to relieve stress and to help you learn ways to cope with difficult areas of your life.

Counseling is the main treatment for PNES. Because PNES are not caused by a problem in the brain, medicines that are used to treat epilepsy are not used to treat this condition.