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Seizure Activity Symptoms

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that can make sufferers lose control of their bodily functions. The condition is caused by abnormal cell activity in the brain affecting the cerebral nerve. Sufferers experience seizures that alter their sensory and muscular functions. Seizures can also indicate a brain injury, lack of oxygen or high fever, not necessarily epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation states that almost three million Americans are affected by the condition, with approximately 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

  1. Sensory Symptoms

    • Dizziness is usually experienced prior to a partial seizure.

      Epileptics can experience sensory symptoms. These are symptoms that affect the senses. Sufferers commonly experience dizziness, visual impairment such as flashing lights or colors, light-headedness, buzzing or hissing noises and unpleasant smells or tastes. These can be felt singularly or all at once. Sensory symptoms usually indicate a partial seizure that affects part of the brain. Sufferers can become overly emotional and feel confused. They may also have numbness in part of the body, drool, develop eye twitches or have a crawling sensation over their skin. The patient will not lose consciousness.

    Autonomic Symptoms

    • Excessive sweating can indicate a temporal lobe seizure.

      Autonomic symptoms are controlled by the autonomic nervous system. This regulates bodily functions including the heart, glands and intestinal tract muscles. Autonomic symptoms such as hot flushing, vomiting, incontinence, sweating, goose bumps and rapid heart rate are normally signs of a temporal lobe seizure. This affects parts of the body that are controlled by the temporal lobes such as speech, hearing, smell, vision and emotion. Patients may also suffer flashbacks, feel fearful or panicky, hallucinate or taste non-existent tastes.

    Psychic Symptoms

    • Psychic symptoms predominantly affect emotion. Patients can become dreamy, experience deja vue, become detached or show extreme happiness, anger, depression or sadness. Psychic symptoms usually indicate the onset of a complex partial seizure. The patient may also exhibit coordinated but involuntary movements such as lip smacking, fidgeting or chewing.

    Symptoms of Absence Seizures

    • Absence seizures affect children and come on quickly. The child may become unconscious or unresponsive. They will appear to be daydreaming and be unaware of their surroundings. Epilepsy Action claims that children can experience hundreds of absence seizures a day. Signs to look for include blank staring, changing facial expression, jerky movements, lack of awareness, fumbling, lip licking and grimacing.

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