Symptoms of an Allergy Seizure

When most people are confronted with the image of a severe allergic reaction, they think of swollen faces and people going into shock. However, there's another less-known symptom of an allergic reaction you should know about--an allergy seizure. People with epilepsy who also have allergies are sometimes thrown into an epileptic seizure when they come into contact with substances they're allergic to.

Foods Commonly Associated with Allergy Seizures

• Not everyone with epilepsy has food allergies--but for those who do, it's important to understand what foods are often suspect. Likely trigger foods include citrus, wheat, milk and cheese. Some preservatives can also cause a reaction, including benzoic acid and tartrazine.

Allergy Seizure Warning Signs

• Before an allergy seizure starts, there will be a few signs that it's coming on. If you're tuned into your body, you'll notice these warning symptoms and get yourself in a position to get help or to not hurt yourself when the seizure starts. You might experience phantom smells, sounds or tastes or experience blurry vision, tingling in the limbs, panic, headaches, nausea, dizziness and a sudden and drastic elevation of mood. However, it's important to note that some allergy seizures can come with no warning at all.

Physical Allergy Seizure Symptoms

• Many symptoms can occur once a seizure begins. They can range from what's typically associated with a seizure--shaking, tremors, body stiffening and convulsions--but can include lip smacking and chewing, drooling, eye fluttering, loss of coordination, incontinence, wailing, sweating, teeth grinding, tongue biting, twitching, shallow breathing, heart palpitations and passing out.

Mental and Emotional Allergy Seizure Symptoms

• Besides the physical manifestations of an allergy seizure, there are mental and emotional symptoms. They can include confusion, feeling as if you're floating, losing concentration and a sudden feeling of being afraid or panicking.

Post-Seizure Symptoms

• Once an allergy seizure is over, you'll likely feel very tired. A seizure can be a traumatic experience and have serious health consequences. But in the immediate aftermath of a seizure, some post-event symptoms might be noticeable including soreness, bruising, nausea, headache, fatigue, memory loss, confusion, thirst and depression. It's normal to feel "all over the place" following a seizure. Seeking prompt medical attention is the best way to ensure your health is safe and that you understand what food is acting as a seizure trigger.