What is seizure conditions?

The brain controls how the body moves by sending out small electrical signals through the nerves to the muscles. Seizures, or convulsions, occur when abnormal signals from the brain change the way the body functions.

Seizures are different from person to person. Some people have only slight shaking of a hand and don't lose consciousness. Other people may become unconscious and have shaking of the entire body.

Shaking of the body doesn't always occur with seizures. Some people who have seizures have symptoms before the seizure (auras). Or they may briefly lose touch with their surroundings and seem to stare into space. The person is awake. But they don't respond normally. Afterward, the person doesn't remember the episode.

Some people will have only one seizure during their lifetime. A single seizure usually lasts less than 3 minutes and isn't followed by a second seizure. Any healthy person can have a single seizure under certain conditions. If you have a first-time seizure, you should be checked by your doctor. It's important to rule out a serious illness that may have caused the seizure.

Causes of seizures

Epilepsy is a nervous system problem that causes seizures. It can occur at any age.

A seizure can be a symptom of another health problem, such as:

• A fever.
• An extremely low blood sugar level in a person who has diabetes.
• Damage to the brain from a stroke, brain surgery, or a head injury.
• Problems that someone has had since birth (congenital problems).
• Withdrawal from alcohol, prescription medicine, or illegal drugs.
• An infection, such as meningitis or encephalitis.
• A brain tumor or structural defect in the brain, such as an aneurysm.
• Parasitic infections, such as tapeworm or toxoplasmosis.
• Eclampsia, which is pregnancy-related seizure activity that is related to high blood pressure.
• Psychogenic non-epileptic seizure (PNES), which is a condition that can cause seizure-like activity related to a mental health issue.

Treatment

Treatment of a seizure depends on what caused it.

It can be scary if you or someone you care about has a seizure for the first time.

When you see the doctor, they will try to figure out why you had the seizure. And they will figure out if you need treatment.

Seizures can be caused by lots of things. Examples are infections, epilepsy, medicines, and problems in the brain like a stroke or tumor. So you will have some tests. Most people will have blood tests, an electroencephalogram (EEG), and an MRI. Some people will need other tests, like a CT scan or a lumbar puncture.

Then the doctor will figure out if you need medicine to prevent more seizures. This depends on the chances that you might have another seizure. For example, if your seizure was caused by a medicine, treatment usually isn't needed. After the medicine leaves your body, there's no more risk that you'll have a seizure. But you might need treatment if, for example, your EEG results aren't normal or you have an infection.