What Are the Causes of Seizures & Fainting?

Seizures and fainting are common symptoms of epilepsy. While a person may have one seizure in a lifetime, those who have recurrent seizures are typically diagnosed with epilepsy.

Causes

• Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Many factors may contribute to this, depending on the type of seizure. People also experience fainting, or loss of consciousness, during a seizure due to the electrical activity.

Risk Factors

• Those who have a family history of seizures are at a high risk of having them. Head injuries, stroke, brain infections and seizures during childhood also contribute to the likelihood of future seizures.

Other Dangers

• A risk of injury accompanies fainting spells and seizures. Car accidents and drowning may occur depending on the activity that is being performed when the seizure occurs.

Treatments

• Anti-seizure medications are used to treat the severity of the seizures and lessen their occurrence. Without the seizures, fainting will not occur.

Warning

• According to the Mayo Clinic, if a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, it is imperative that medical attention be provided for the patient. A seizure should only last 2 to 3 minutes, and brain damage can occur the longer it lasts.