Uncommon Types of Seizures

Seizures are caused by unusual electrical activity in the brain. There are factors that indicate the type, but in half of seizure cases there is no determining cause. Often, seizures are related to epilepsy, so a non-epileptic seizure is less common.

Significance

• Because type and effect of seizure activity can cause physical harm to a person, it is important to be aware of unusual behavior to determine if medical attention is needed.

Types

• There are two categories of seizures: generalized and partial. Under these categories, many different types of seizures exist and can be specifically determined by a health care professional.

Considerations

• Seizures can be complicated to diagnose, so it advisable to keep a record of unusual occurrences and their frequency to assist your physician upon examination and testing.

Effects

• Seizures can last for seconds or extend for minutes. A person experiencing a seizure may or may not lose consciousness and may appear to make purposeful actions such as walking or eye or mouth movements. She could twitch or convulse.

Prevention/Solution

• Advances in technology provide for safe and effective testing and treatment of seizures.