What are Seizures?

A rapid and uncoordinated electrical disturbance causes seizures in the brain. It disrupts behavior (like jerking of the arms and legs), feelings, and levels of consciousness.

Different types of seizures vary in symptoms and severity. Seizures can last anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes. However, a seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes requires immediate medical attention.

Seizures are more common these days. Seizures can happen after incidents like strokes, head injuries, or infections (like meningitis). But most of the time, the cause of seizures is not known.

Symptoms of a seizure?

You can suffer either focal or generalized seizures. It is possible to experience them separately. Sometimes you start to experience the symptoms before the final experience of the seizure: some of these symptoms include:

• Suddenly, I felt fearful and anxious.
• A sharp feeling of being very sick
• Dizziness
• A change in vision
• A sudden jerky movement of the arms and legs
• An out-of-body sensation
• A headache
• Deja vu                                                                                                                                                    

Signs that indicate you might have a seizure soon include:

• Losing consciousness and felt confused afterward.
• Having mostly uncontrolled muscle spasms.
• Drooling or foaming at the mouth.
• Clenching your teeth,
• Biting your tongue
• Making abnormal noises like grunting
• Being unable to control your bladder or bowel movements
• Experiencing sudden mood swings.
• Having a weird taste in your mouth

What causes seizures?

Seizures result from some health conditions. Also, if the body experiences any strange things, it might affect the brain and lead to a seizure. Some of these causes include:

• alcohol withdrawal
• Infections in the brain, such as meningitis
• Brain injury sustained during childbirth
• Brain defect at birth
• choking
• substance use
• substance withdrawal
• an electrolyte imbalance
• electric shock
• epilepsy
• extremely high blood pressure,
• fever
• head trauma
• kidney or liver failure.
• low blood glucose levels
• a stroke
• a brain tumor
• vascular abnormality in the brain                                                                                              

Seizures can sometimes be inherited. If your family has a history of people with seizures, then you know where to look if you’re looking for a day. But most of the time, there is no specific cause for seizures, especially in children.

Prevention of seizures

Some people who suffer seizures usually experience warning signs such as having weird tastes in their mouths, a change in vision, and jerky movements. The moment you start to notice these symptoms, try to locate a safe place to stay in case the seizure comes.

Sometimes, parents can tell if their children are about to have a seizure. You might also be able to tell if someone you know is going to have a seizure. You’ll notice that they may begin to act strangely, their pupils may start to change in size, or they may look different. If you’re lucky enough to notice these things quickly, guide them towards where they’ll be safe when they have a seizure attack.

You can avoid seizures by avoiding the things that trigger them, like:

• flashing or flickering lights.
• lack of sleep
• stress
• alcohol
• missing seizure medication doses
• Don’t take illegal substances.